Key Barcelona Duo Ready to Return After Injury Layoffs

Raphinha missed Barcelona's last two matches with a thigh injury sustained during the international break. “If you ask him, he'll tell you he's ready to start. However, we have to take it step by step. We have a lot of games in a short period and need to manage his workload carefully,” Flick told AFP. The Brazilian winger has been in scintillating form since the summer, tallying 14 goals in eight games and adding another for his national team.

De Jong has yet to feature this season after returning from the summer World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico with a severe knee injury. “He gives us another option in midfield and we'll see how things develop. He's training well and is ready to play some minutes. He looks very focused and is a top-class player,” Flick said of the Dutch midfielder.

The return of these key players could ease the burden on 19-year-old Lamine Yamal. The recent World Cup winner has played the full 90 minutes in eight of Barcelona's ten matches this campaign. “He is an exceptional player. We need to monitor his playing time, but the most important thing is that he enjoys his football. That's the current situation, and I don't want to disrupt that,” the German manager noted.

The Catalans boast a flawless record across all competitions this season, but face a demanding run of fixtures over the coming days. Following Saturday's clash in Seville, they travel to face defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday before hosting Real Madrid in El Clásico on Sunday.