Barcelona counting on the return of four key players this month as club hope for a ‘miracle’ vs Atleti | OneFootball

Barcelona are focused on moving past the devastating 4-0 Copa del Rey semi-final defeat against Atletico Madrid.

While the loss at the Metropolitano halted significant momentum, Hansi Flick remains confident that the team can bounce back to their best.

A major part of this optimism stems from the imminent return of several heavyweights to the squad over the coming weeks.

Barcelona’s injury boost in February

As pointed out by Diario AS, the most immediate boost comes from Raphinha, who returned to group training on Friday and is expected to feature against Girona tomorrow.

His leadership and aggression were sorely missed in the capital, where the team lacked a figurehead to resist the opponent’s onslaught. Raphinha is viewed as fundamental for the commitment and character he inspires in his teammates.

The coaching staff is also eagerly awaiting the return of Pedri, who has been sidelined for a month with a hamstring injury.

Barcelona are keen on having Pedri back in action. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

The Canary Islander is expected to return for the match against Levante on February 22, provided he reaches 100% fitness during the upcoming break.

Pedri remains the team’s primary architect, essential for orchestrating attacks, improving the press, and delivering the final pass.

Marcus Rashford is another key figure set to return shortly after missing the trip to Madrid as a precaution for a knee knock.

While he will miss the match at Montilivi, he is expected to be available immediately afterwards to offer his clinical finishing and counter-attacking speed.

Finally, the long-awaited return of Gavi is appearing on the horizon as the midfielder has already begun training with the ball.

He is slated for a comeback at the end of the month, which would potentially restore the squad’s full competitive edge.

With these four reinforcements, Barcelona believes they can sustain their La Liga lead and perhaps even achieve a miracle in the cup second leg.