Hansi Flick eases Barcelona fears over Raphinha setback as Gabriel Jesus prepares for full debut

Flick admitted that while the international breaks and congested schedules are not ideal, he must manage the workload of his key stars to avoid long-term damage. He noted that the pressure on modern players is immense, particularly with the travel requirements for international friendlies, but he remains committed to protecting his squad’s health during this busy run of five games in just two weeks.

“We talked about the national team… for any player, it’s a career achievement. Raphinha always gives 100%. We have to consider whether it would have been necessary to play in Australia, 30,000 kilometers away… but we have to choose friendlies, and that’s not possible in Europe,” Flick said,

“With the Nations League, it’s not possible either. There’s a lot of pressure on the players. We have to accept the situation as it is; it’s not the best, it’s not ideal, but I can’t change it. I have to manage the workload.”