Barcelona manager Hansi Flick was unable or not willing to give an update on Robert Lewandowski's injury status for the coming weeks, whereby the Polish attacker would probably not be out of operation for at least the Copa del Rey final next weekend. However, Captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen is back and fit to play.
Lewandowski was excluded with a 'semi-tendinal' injury on Saturday, with some estimates that brought his return to three weeks. Other, more optimistic estimates believe that he could play against Inter in the semi -final of the Champions League, who are starting the wake.
“Hopefully, but we don't know. We have to wait, when is ready, we will be happy to have him back, but we have to wait,” he told the media prior to their collision with RCD Mallorca on Tuesday evening.
Flick was more optimistic about Ter Stegen's recovery, although it seems likely that Wojciech Szczesny will remain as number one for the rest of the season.
“He is ready. We have to talk about what we want to do, so I will talk to him. We have to decide when it is good to come back.”
“I said what I want to say, and that's it,” Flick noted when he was asked to continue comments on his tirade about the fixed list on Friday. The German coach did suggest that there can be rotations against Mallorca in Montjuic.
“We have to manage it. It is also important that we have a number of new legs against Mallorca. It is not easy to manage it. I now have a lot of thoughts in my head. The players also want to show that they are fit and they are ready, but we have to manage it, and we want to manage it and we want to make the right decision.”
It seems likely that Ferran Torres will come in for Lewandowski, where most eyes wander to the Copa final in Seville.
“He is very important. That we also manage this. He is in his career at a very good time, he has scored ten goals in La Liga. And I think nine is the right position for him. Whatever he shows, he is a fast player, but he can also control the ball, give us, give us, give us, give us. [lots] When we defend. But we also have to manage him because we need it until the end of the season. “
Torres seems to be the most likely to work in the center-forecast position, something that he has regularly done in the Copa del Rey. Dani Olmo has also been presented as a potential false nine, something that took place against real betis in January. Other alternatives to Flick would be Victor and Ansu Fati Pau, although neither has often recorded lately.