El clasico

Barcelona’s preparations for Saturday’s LaLiga fixture against Girona have been overshadowed by an escalating injury crisis, with eight first-team players unavailable and key figures likely to miss next weekend’s El Clasico against Real Madrid.

Striker Robert Lewandowski has been ruled out after tearing a thigh muscle while playing for Poland on international duty, according to manager Hansi Flick. He joins a growing list of injured players that also includes goalie Marc-André ter Stegen, Dani Olmo, Gavi, Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Raphinha, and Joan Garcia. As Barcelona looks to bounce back from back-to-back losses to Paris Saint-Germain (2–1) in the …