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Barcelona Injuries: Every Player Unavailable vs. Real Madrid

La Blaugrana have some availability concerns ahead of the Clásico.
Jules Koundé is a major doubt for the weekend.
Jules Koundé is a major doubt for the weekend. | Fran Santiago/Getty Images

It could be a season-defining Clásico when Barcelona meet Real Madrid on Sunday.

Hansi Flick’s men have been faultless in La Liga after nine games and have the chance to go nine points clear of their great rivals with a win at Camp Nou this weekend.

While victory far from ends the title race, it would strike a deep psychological blow to Madrid and make Barcelona the first team in history to open the season with 10 straight wins.

Barça would naturally want to count on all their key players for such a pivotal game. However, Flick has several availability concerns to deal with. Here are all the injury issues the team is contending with ahead of the clash.


Roony Bardghji

Roony Bardghji
Roony Bardghji was struck down in preseason. | Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images
  • Issue: ACL injury
  • Potential return date: May 2027

The young Swedish winger suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in preseason training is set to spend the entire campaign in recovery.

Bardghji was rumored to have been deemed surplus to requirements by Flick and could well be moved on when he returns to full fitness.


Andreas Christensen

Andreas Christensen
Andreas Christensen could return next month. | Fran Santiago/Getty Images
  • Issue: Thigh injury
  • Potential return date: November 2026

After missing more than half of last season with a serious knee injury, Christensen picked up a thigh strain in September and is set to be sidelined for over a month.

The center back, who has made six appearances so far in 2026–27, is slated to return to action after the November international break.


Eric García

Eric García
Eric García’s knock comes at an unfortunate time. | Gabriel Colchero/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
  • Issue: Thigh injury
  • Potential return date: November 2026

García left the field in discomfort during the 5–2 win away at Real Betis and was later confirmed to have picked up a thigh issue.

The club put his recovery timeline at between three and four weeks, ruling him out of the clash with Real Madrid and likely to return either just before the November international break, or straight after.


Dani Olmo

Dani Olmo
Dani Olmo was forced off against PSG. | Ibrahim Ezzat/NurPhoto/Getty Images
  • Issue: Adductor injury
  • Potential return date: November 2026

Olmo was a casualty of Barcelona’s 4–2 Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain midweek, limping off in the first half and sparking fears over his availability for the weekend’s showdown with Madrid.

Barça later confirmed an adductor injury and have suggested the midfielder will be out for around a month as he recovers.


Jules Koundé

Jules Koundé
Two Barça right backs picked up injuries against Betis. | Gabriel Colchero/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
  • Issue: Ankle injury
  • Potential return date: October 2026

Koundé was one of two right-back injuries during the Betis victory, along with García, creating a potential headache for Flick in the build up to the Clásico.

“We hope that maybe he [Koundé] could also be an option for the weekend, but we have to see. We have to wait,” Flick told reporters regarding the Frenchman’s minor ankle sprain, but that was before he missed even more training sessions.


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Andrew Headspeath
ANDREW HEADSPEATH

Andy Headspeath is a Real Madrid correspondent for Sports Illustrated FC. Originally from the UK, the weather, culture and soccer lured him to Spain over a decade ago where he lives with his wife, son and two untrainable dogs. A player of unspeakably limited talents and only one fully functional knee, he has more than a decade's experience in a wide variety of editorial roles within sports media, from match reporting to in-depth feature writing and interviews. He specializes in soccer history and culture, as well as—of course—La Liga.