Barcelona unwilling to risk key duo against Getafe ahead of crucial run of fixtures

Barcelona unwilling to risk key duo against Getafe ahead of crucial run of fixtures Barcelona are facing a potentially significant selection call ahead of their meeting with Getafe, with Hansi Flick unwilling to take unnecessary risks over the fitness of Joan Garcia and Raphinha. According to AS , Garcia is still experiencing slight discomfort in his right knee and has yet to return to full group training.  With the goalkeeper’s recovery taking longer than initially expected, Flick does not want to rush him back for Saturday’s fixture. The final decision is expected on Friday. If Garcia is not considered fully fit, Dominik Livakovic is set to start, while Wojciech Szczesny appears to remain behind him in the current goalkeeping pecking order. Joan Garcia’s recovery has taken longer than expected Garcia picked up the knee problem on September 16 during the closing stages of Barcelona’s match against Racing.  The goalkeeper made an awkward movement while attempting to retrieve a ball that had gone out of play. Joan Garcia is still not 100% fit. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) The initial expectation was that he could return to group training after around two and a half weeks, although Garcia did not rejoin his teammates on Monday and continued working separately. The slower recovery has convinced Flick to take a cautious approach, and the Barcelona manager will only include Garcia against Getafe if the medical staff consider him fully ready to play. Crucially, Garcia and Raphinha both trained individually on Wednesday as the coaching staff continued to assess their respective situations. Raphinha presents a different situation Raphinha has overcome oedema in his thigh without suffering an actual injury , but the location of the problem is causing some concern inside the Barcelona camp. The Brazilian has previously suffered two injuries in the same area, making caution particularly important.  Barcelona have ruled out any serious injury to Raphinha. (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images) Flick could therefore decide against using him against Getafe , especially with a demanding run of fixtures awaiting Barcelona after the weekend. Flick has little reason to gamble Barcelona’s immediate priority is avoiding a setback that could turn a minor fitness concern into a longer absence.  With both players still working individually, Flick has every reason to wait for definitive medical clearance before deciding whether either should feature. Garcia’s situation appears the more straightforward of the two: if he is not fully fit, he will not be risked.  Raphinha’s importance, on the other hand, may make his decision more difficult, but Barcelona’s upcoming fixture list gives Flick a strong reason to think beyond one match.