Flick rules out Raphinha for Getafe and Galatasaray, hands Gabriel Jesus first start

Hansi Flick sat down in the press room at the Ciutat Esportiva with several issues to address, and he settled nearly all of them in one go. The most pressing one had a name attached to it: Raphinha will miss Saturday's game against Getafe and the Champions League clash against Galatasaray in Istanbul.

The Brazilian, who has been playing more as a center forward than a winger this season, returned early from the national team's tour of Australia after feeling discomfort in a friendly. Flick tried to downplay the issue, but he was clear about the timeline: "Raphinha's tests show something, it's not serious, but we have to take care of him. Last season he had three injuries. He won't be available for Getafe or Istanbul," the German coach explained.

Gabriel Jesus, from substitute to starter

The Brazilian's absence opens the door for Gabriel Jesus, who will start on Saturday for the first time since joining Barcelona from Arsenal on transfer deadline day. The forward had already opened his scoring account in blaugrana colors coming off the bench, with goals against Feyenoord and Racing de Santander, but he had yet to earn the trust of a starting spot.

Flick did not hide his satisfaction with the player's progress during the break: "The idea is for Gabriel Jesus to start. He's improved a lot, he's adapted, he understands our style of play and he's very strong inside the box. He's trained very well these three weeks and he's ready."

Joan Garcia returns, De Jong still waiting

There was good news between the posts as well: Joan Garcia, who had missed the game against Racing through injury as well as the trip to Seville, recovered during the international break and will be available for the return to Camp Nou. "I've seen Joan Garcia looking good, he can start," Flick confirmed.

Frenkie de Jong won't be so fortunate. Despite having trained with the group in recent days, he will still be left out of the squad for both the Getafe and Galatasaray games. Flick himself hinted at when De Jong might reappear: "The plan is that maybe against Betis will be the first game he's included in the squad. The news is good, he has no pain, but we have to wait." The coach even left open an unusual possibility for the Dutchman: "We have different options, but of course he can play as a center back."

The longest break and Lamine Yamal

Flick also addressed the impact of the international break, the longest in history, during which Lamine Yamal was the outfield player with the most minutes played. The German coach sounded at ease with how the Spain manager handled things: "De la Fuente managed the minutes very well. Spain has the best team in the world, and I think the relationship we have with them is very good."

On Lamine himself, Flick repeated an idea he has floated before: "He'll be the best in the world, if he isn't already." And he added what he values most about his development: "His mentality, his will to improve every day... that's the right mindset, and right now he's on that path, and I'm very happy about it."