Barcelona have been hit with an injury blow just hours ahead of their La Liga clash with Real Valladolid.
The Catalan outfit will be missing Jules Kounde, Robert Lewandowski, Alejandro Balde, Marc Bernal and Marc Casado through injury on Saturday evening, as they attempt to move seven points clear at the top of the La Liga table.
Head coach Hansi Flick is expected to make a number of changes to his starting side with one eye on next week’s Champions League semi-final second leg with Italian giants Inter Milan.
Pablo Torre was among those expected to receive some minutes against the division’s basement side, but it has been revealed that the midfielder will not be available due to a knee problem.
“First team player Pablo Torre has some discomfort in his left knee. His return to the team will be decided based on his progress,” read a statement from the Catalan team.
It is currently unclear how long Torre could spend on the sidelines, but he is also expected to be a major doubt for the team’s Champions League semi-final second leg with Inter at San Siro.
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Barcelona’s Torre out of Real Valladolid battle due to knee issue
Torre has found it difficult to secure regular action this season, only featuring on 14 occasions for the Catalan team, but he has scored four times and registered three assists in the process.
The 22-year-old has three goals and one assist in 10 La Liga appearances this term, but he has not been involved in Spain’s top flight since the end of March.
There was speculation surrounding the Spaniard’s future during the January transfer window, but the deadline passed with the midfielder still at the club.
Torre could be on the move during this summer’s transfer market, though, with a number of clubs said to be keeping a close eye on his situation, as he has a solid record of five goals and four assists in 27 matches for Barcelona in all competitions.
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Flick set to ring the changes against Real Valladolid
There will be wholesale changes from the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Inter, with head coach Flick determined to keep his key players fresh for the return fixture in Italy.
As a result, Eric Garcia, Ansu Fati, Andreas Christensen and Hector Fort could all receive valuable minutes, while there are also spots in the squad for young trio Noah Darvich, Dani Rodriguez and Landry Farre.
Flick has also confirmed that Marc-Andre ter Stegen will start between the sticks after recovering from a long-term knee issue.
Barcelona squad vs. Real Valladolid:
Ter Stegen, Pena, Szczesny; Cubarsi, Araujo, Martinez, Christensen, E Garcia, Fort, Martin, Landry; Gavi, Pedri, F Lopez, Olmo, De Jong, Darvich; Torres, Fati, Raphinha, Victor, Yamal, D Rodriguez
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