Raphinha and Joan Garcia are back! Hansi Flick confirms Brazil star and goalkeeper ready to start but Barcelona still without Frenkie de Jong ahead of Camp Nou return | Goal.com Australia

Garcia, who had become Barca’s most stable defensive presence before tearing his medial meniscus in September, is fully fit and set to start. Flick confirmed it with a smile: “What do you think? Yes? Well, you’re right.” His calm distribution and command of the box had been sorely missed during a period of defensive inconsistency.

Pedri, meanwhile, continues his accelerated but carefully managed recovery. His torn biceps femoris muscle destabilised Barça’s midfield structure, but the club now expects him to feature against Chelsea next week if progress continues.

“We’re taking it step by step, we’re not going to put any pressure on him. That wouldn’t be the right thing to do. But he’s doing well, he’s progressing well. We’re happy with how things are going, he’ll be back soon. Whether he’ll be back against Chelsea… I don’t know yet,” Flick insisted, refusing to risk him prematurely. De Jong’s situation mirrors this uncertainty, both are essential, but neither is guaranteed.

Lamine Yamal has also returned to full training and is expected to play controlled minutes, further easing the squad’s strain as the busiest part of the calendar approaches.