No room for 21-year-old Barcelona midfielder as Hansi Flick’s team prepares for Copa del Rey clash against Atletico Madrid | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have a crucial game awaiting them tonight as they face Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final. This first leg will be played at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, and the Catalans will naturally be looking to take an advantage from this home game into the second leg, which will be played at the Metropolitano at the beginning of April.

There is no doubt that this is going to be a highly intense clash, with two very good squads and two in-form teams that are both aiming to get their hands on the Cup. In addition to the Copa del Rey, these two teams are also engaged in a fierce battle for the La Liga title this season.

Squad Updates: Key Absentees and Encouraging Signs

As has been the case recently, Barcelona are unlikely to officially publish their squad list for this fixture, mirroring their approach from the Sevilla clash. However, according to Mundo Deportivo, the team has already gathered at the Hotel Torre Melina Gran Meliá ahead of the game.

Notably, five players are confirmed absentees: Pablo Torre, Ansu Fati, Andreas Christensen, and long-term injury casualties Marc-André ter Stegen and Marc Bernal.

Pablo Torre, the young Cantabrian midfielder, has been omitted due to a technical decision by head coach Hansi Flick. The Copa del Rey limits squads to 22 players instead of 23 as in La Liga, making competition for spots fierce. Torre’s exclusion highlights his ongoing struggle to cement a role in the first team.

Andreas Christensen, despite returning to training after recovering from a soleus injury that sidelined him for four weeks, remains without medical clearance and will not feature.

Ansu Fati’s absence continues to raise concerns about his standing under Flick. The forward has not played since January 4 against Barbastro and has repeatedly been left out of matchday squads, signaling a difficult path to regular minutes this season.

Boost for Barcelona: Lamine Yamal Available

Yamal suffered a toe injury in the recent clash against Las Palmas and missed Monday’s training session, but he is now expected to be available for this crucial encounter.

With everything at stake, Barcelona will need to deliver a commanding performance at home to put themselves in the best possible position for the return leg in Madrid.