MADRID — Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said Saturday defender Eric Garcia is fit to start against Atletico Madrid and Andreas Christensen will also be in the squad for the table-topping La Liga showdown.
Atletico, second, trail champions Barca by two points ahead of Sunday’s clash in the Spanish capital.
Barcelona have suffered a host of injuries at the back this season but Garcia and Christensen are available once again.
“I think (Garcia) is able to start and both of them are in the squad for tomorrow so they will travel with us to Atleti,” Flick told reporters.
“I think (Garcia) can start, we will see if he starts.”
In recent weeks, Flick has used midfielders Frenkie de Jong and Brian Farinas at centre-back and right-back respectively to help plugs gaps.
Garcia, who has been out since suffering a thigh injury on October 17, can play in both roles.
Danish defender Christensen has not played since mid-September, also because of a thigh injury.
Xavi Espart and Jules Kounde are still sidelined, with Flick suggesting the latter may be ready to play after the upcoming international break.
Midfielder Rodri Hernandez is also out against Atletico and could miss up to a month with a hamstring injury.
Flick has faced some criticism for not resting Rodri more before he suffered the injury in the Champions League win against Aston Villa on Tuesday, but said he had been speaking regularly to the Spain captain about his fitness.
“You always can do things better, but I think in this case, I totally communicate with this player and we manage everything, every minute he’s on the pitch,” explained Flick according to AFP.
“We agree about these things (so) I think you can do nothing else… but of course, maybe at the end when you see the results, you can say okay, ‘maybe we have to make this or this better’.”
During the summer Barcelona tried to sign Atletico striker Julian Alvarez, who attempted to force the switch but his club resisted.
Flick said he would not speak about players other clubs when asked about Alvarez, while Atletico coach Diego Simeone said the striker was in “very good shape” ahead of the game at the Metropolitano stadium.
Flick has used Brazilian winger Raphinha as the team’s number nine after the failed move for Alvarez and it has worked to perfection.
Raphinha boasts 19 goals from 13 games across all competitions this season for Barca.
“For me he’s an extraordinary player, he works hard, he’s quick, he scores, he provides assists… to be honest, last season, for me, he had an incredible year,” Simeone told reporters.
“And now he’s started brilliantly, playing in another position in which he also does very well and which gives a team with many options even more weapons.”
