Flick Suspended; Raphinha Out Ahead El Clásico

Barcelona completed a final morning training at the Ciutat Esportiva before travelling to Madrid for Sunday’s 16:15 CET El Clásico at the Bernabéu. Hansi Flick is suspended for the game, with assistant Marcus Sorg set to take charge from the touchline. Squad concerns persist: Frenkie de Jong missed a Thursday session through indisposition and will be monitored before kickoff, while Andreas Christensen is doing individual on‑pitch work. Raphinha suffered a hamstring relapse and will miss Sunday’s match and potentially several more. César Soto Grado is the appointed referee despite controversy over past Barcelona decisions, and Real Madrid have welcomed back options including Trent Alexander‑Arnold, Dani Carvajal, Dani Ceballos and Dean Huijsen as they sit two points clear atop La Liga.