Key Barcelona trio will be 100% ready for El Clasico after not starting vs Almeria

Barcelona suffered their second defeat in as many games in all competitions as they were beaten 1-0 by minnows UD Almeria at the Power Horse Stadium.

It was a disappointing defeat for the Catalan heavyweights right after their UEFA Europa League elimination at the hands of Manchester United, which left manager Xavi Hernandez very angry.

Given the quick turnaround between fixtures, Xavi opted to make some rotations to the lineup against Almeria.

The manager benched three of his key players in Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo and Raphinha, in order to manage their fitness levels carefully.

Indeed, according to Javi Miguel of AS, the key trio of Kounde, Araujo and Raphinha were dropped to the bench so that they can get some rest as they were showing signs of muscular fatigue, which could have led to muscle injuries if they were strained further.

But, the good news is that all three are expected to be 100% ready for the El Clasico semi-final first leg in the Copa del Rey later this week.

The report states that Kounde, who has had some hamstring issues already this season, had been picking up some bad sensations, having played relentlessly in recent weeks. Hence, it was decided to reduce his workload and call him up only if there is a serious need.

As for Araujo, the situation with the Uruguayan needs to be handled with more care as he had already missed a chunk of the season with an injury that needed surgery.

Apart from dealing with muscle fatigue, the centre-back was also having some discomfort with his scar from the surgery, due to which he was benched. However, Araujo did end up featuring as a substitute.

Raphinha, meanwhile, had picked up a knock after reacting angrily and kicking out at a refrigerator following his substitution against Man United in the first-leg tie at Camp Nou.

That was the reason behind him not starting vs Cadiz and Xavi opted to rest him again last night to protect him, although Ferran Torres’ recent form also had a hand in the decision. But he came on at half-time to replace Franck Kessie, although he was not very effective.

The good news is that all three players will be 100% fit and ready to face Real Madrid in the semi-final of the Copa del Rey later this week at the Bernabeu.