Barcelona manager Hansi Flick was unable or unwilling to give an update on the injury status of Robert Lewandowski for the coming weeks, with the Polish forward likely to be out of action for at least the Copa del Rey final next weekend. Captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen is back and fit to play though.
Lewandowski was ruled out with a ‘semi-tendinous’ injury on Saturday, with some estimates putting his return at three weeks. Other, more optimistic estimates believe he could play in the Champions League semi-finals against Inter, which begin next midweek.
“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 ahead of their clash with RCD Mallorca on Tuesday night.
Flick was more optimistic about the recovery of ter Stegen, although it seems likely that Wojciech Szczesny will remain as number one for the rest of the season.
“He is ready. We have to speak about what we want to do, so I will speak with him. We have to decide when it is good to come back.”
“I said what I want to say, and that’s it,” Flick remarked when asked for further comment on his rant about the fixture list on Friday. The German coach did suggest that there could be rotations against Mallorca at Montjuic.
“We have to manage it. It’s also important that we have some fresh legs against Mallorca. It’s not easy to manage it. I have a lot of thoughts in my head now. Also the players want to show that they are fit and they are ready, but we have to manage it, and we want to make the right decision.”
It seems likely that Ferran Torres will come in for Lewandowski, with most eyes straying to the Copa final in Seville.
“He’s very important. That we also manage this. He’s in a very good moment in his career, he’s scored ten goals in La Liga. And I think nine is the right position for him. What he shows though too, he’s a fast player, but he can also control the ball, give us [lots] when we defend. But we also have to manage him, because we need him until the end of the season.”
Hansi Flick: “Mallorca have had a good season, and they also have the possibility of going into Europe next season. It will be a tough game.”
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) April 21, 2025
Torres seems the most likely to operate in the centre-forward position, something he has done in the Copa del Rey on a regular basis. Dani Olmo has been suggested as a potential false nine too, something that occurred against Real Betis in January. Other alternatives for Flick would Pau Victor and Ansu Fati, although neither have featured often of late.
