Leading Barcelona star left out of squad for Barbastro clash

A headline member of the attacking ranks at La Liga giants Barcelona has been omitted from the club’s travelling squad to face Barbastro.

The player in question? Raphinha.

Barcelona are of course set to kick their endeavours for the new year into gear later this evening.

As much will come by way of a Copa del Rey meeting with 2nd tier Barbastro, with a place in the competition’s Last-16 on the line.

A short time ago, the squad of players set to be depended upon by Hansi Flick and his coaching staff to get the job done at the Estadio Municipal was unveiled online.

And nowhere to be seen, as alluded to above, was star wide-man Raphinha.

As since confirmed by Barca insider Adrià Albets, though, there is no need for those of a Blaugrana persuasion to fret, with Raphinha having simply been afforded a rest.

Youngster Toni Fernández replaces the Brazilian in Flick’s squad.

Elsewhere, Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor remain absent amid their respective registration sagas, whilst all of Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal, Héctor Fort and Marc-André ter Stegen also miss out, amid ongoing efforts to recover full fitness.

Conor Laird – GSFN