Barcelona are going through a tough spell physically. The club confirmed that young goalkeeper Joan García will undergo surgery this Saturday for a tear in the meniscus of his left knee, an injury that will keep him sidelined for four to six weeks. The setback occurred in the final play of the LaLiga match against Real Oviedo (1-3), where the Blaugrana secured three points but at a heavy cost.

Szczesny forced to start in goal

Joan García’s operation will be performed by doctor Joan Carles Monllau, and his absence comes on top of German keeper Marc-André ter Stegen, still recovering from a back injury. In this scenario, Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny will take over as starter in the upcoming fixtures.

The situation further complicates matters for coach Hansi Flick, who will also have to rely on the academy to complete the squad list of goalkeepers, since third-choice Diego Kochen is away with the United States national team at the U-20 World Cup.

Raphinha, another key absence in attack

The misfortune doesn’t end in goal. Brazilian winger Raphinha has also been ruled out for three weeks after suffering a hamstring injury in his right leg, forcing him off in the 66th minute of the match against Oviedo, where he was replaced by Robert Lewandowski.

With these two absences, Barça’s injury list continues to grow, already including midfielders Gavi and Fermín López.

The only positive news for Flick is the progress of Lamine Yamal and Alejandro Balde, who have already returned to group training and could be cleared this weekend for the match against Real Sociedad.

Fighting to stay in the title race, Barça now face a delicate physical situation. Squad depth and resilience will be crucial for the team to get through this stretch of the season without losing competitiveness.