Barcelona Receive Double Boost as Raphinha and De Jong Return for Betis Clash

Barcelona have received a timely boost ahead of their La Liga meeting with Real Betis, as Hansi Flick confirmed that Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong are back in contention after recovering from injuries.

The Catalan side have won all their matches across competitions this season, but keeping that run going will not be easy against third-placed Betis, who will host the game in Seville on Saturday.

Flick shared the latest update during his press conference on Friday, raising hopes that both key players could feature in the upcoming match.

"If you ask him, he'll tell you he's ready to start, but we're taking things step by step. We have a lot of games in a short space of time, and we need to manage that," said Barcelona manager Hansi Flick.

Barcelona have been without Raphinha since he returned from international duty with an injury. Due to this, the 29-year-old missed the club’s recent victories over Getafe in La Liga and Galatasaray in the Champions League.

De Jong has yet to feature for Barcelona this season either, as the Dutch midfielder continues to recover from a knee injury he picked up during the World Cup.

"He gives us another option in midfield, and we'll see how he progresses," said Hansi Flick while talking to the reporters.

"He's training well and is ready to get some minutes. He looks very focused, and he's a top player." added Hansi Flick.

With the return of Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong, Barcelona can give young Lamine Yamal some rest, as he has been playing consistently for the team since the start of the season. Hansi Flick also acknowledged this fact, but said that Yamal loves playing football and understands his body’s limitations as well.

"He's a special player. We have to manage his minutes, but the important thing is that he enjoys playing. That's how things are at the moment, and I don't want to interrupt that." said Hansi Flick.