Barcelona’s upcoming LaLiga opener against Valencia this Saturday will be without Ilkay Gündoğan in the squad. The 33-year-old midfielder sustained a head injury during Monday’s 3-0 defeat to Monaco in the Joan Gamper Trophy match, and he will be sidelined as a precautionary measure. Unfortunately, Gündoğan adds to the growing list of injured players for the Catalan side as they gear up for the new season.
Missing Key Players
The absence of Gündoğan only adds to Barcelona’s injury woes, with other key players already sidelined. Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, Ronald Araújo, and Ansu Fati are among the players who will miss the Valencia clash. Additionally, Fermín López is yet to return from his time off after representing Spain in both the European Championship and the Olympic Games this summer.
Summer signing Dani Olmo, who arrived at Barcelona for a hefty fee of €55 million from RB Leipzig, is also unavailable for selection. Despite training with the team for the past week, Olmo has not been deemed fit to play by coach Hansi Flick. Furthermore, his registration has not been processed by LaLiga yet as Barcelona navigates through financial constraints to make room for his inclusion in the squad.
While the registrations of several players were finalized recently, including Iñigo Martínez, Pau Victor, Marc Casadó, and Pablo Torre, there are still pending issues with Olmo and Vitor Roque. Reports suggest that Roque, a €35 million signing in January, has been made available for transfer before the current window closes, either on loan or in a permanent deal.
On a more positive note, Barcelona can count on the return of Pedri to the squad for the Valencia encounter. The young midfielder missed the preseason due to an injury sustained during Spain’s Euro 2024 quarterfinal triumph over Germany in July. Coach Flick has hinted at a potential second-half appearance for Pedri, providing a much-needed boost to the midfield.
Barcelona faces significant challenges due to injuries and registration issues, hindering their preparations for the new LaLiga season. The team will have to rely on remaining fit players and potentially youth talents to navigate through the initial matches until key players return to full fitness.
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