Barcelona hit by fatigue and two major blows in March international break – Report | OneFootball

The March international break is drawing to a close, and it has proven to be a mixed and physically demanding period for FC Barcelona, with fatigue and two major setbacks dominating the narrative, according to Mundo Deportivo.

The biggest concern for the Catalan side is the injury to Raphinha, who picked up a muscle problem while representing Brazil in a friendly defeat against France. The winger is expected to be sidelined for up to five weeks with a hamstring issue, dealing a significant blow to Barcelona ahead of a crucial stretch of the season.

There was also disappointment for Robert Lewandowski, whose hopes of playing in the 2026 World Cup came to an end after Poland suffered a playoff defeat to Sweden. The striker featured heavily during the break, completing two full matches and ranking as the second most-used Barcelona player with 180 minutes.

Despite these setbacks, there were also positives. Xavi Espart emerged as the most used Barcelona player during the break, logging 257 minutes for Spain U-19 and helping his side secure qualification for the European Championship. He briefly caused concern after being substituted in the final match, but no serious issue has been reported.

Ronald Araujo was the third most utilised player with 135 minutes for Uruguay, while Marc Bernal marked a personal milestone by making his debut for Spain U-21, accumulating 113 minutes across two matches.

Luis de la Fuente also rotated his Barcelona contingent during friendlies against Serbia and Egypt. Lamine Yamal led the group with 108 minutes, while Ferran Torres, Pedri, Dani Olmo, and Fermin Lopez each played 90 minutes. Pau Cubarsi featured for 83 minutes, while Joan Garcia made his senior debut with a brief 27-minute appearance.

Elsewhere, Joao Cancelo logged 90 minutes for Portugal across two friendlies, facing a long return trip to Barcelona, while Marcus Rashford played 88 minutes for England. Notably, Roony Bardghji did not feature for Sweden but still secured qualification with his national side.

Overall, while there were no widespread injury concerns beyond Raphinha, the accumulated minutes and travel could impact the squad’s freshness.

Barcelona will now regroup ahead of a demanding away clash against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano, where the team will look to maintain momentum in the La Liga title race despite the physical toll of the international break.