Raphinha and Araujo ruled out for Barcelona against Osasuna

The pair have been desperate to return to Catalonia as soon as possible following international duty, but their late arrivals back in Spain have forced manager Hansi Flick to rule them out of the clash.

Araujo is expected to land in Barcelona early this afternoon, while Raphinha won't touch down until late evening, leaving them with too little time to recover and prepare properly for the match.

Flick explained the decision with a no-nonsense take: "They're not going to play or be part of the squad. They're out. It's a long flight, and it's not the ideal situation. They need to train, recover properly, and then we'll see about Sunday. But this team is fantastic, and we have to fight for the three points.

"If we win and get those extra points, that'll be the best response we can give."

The German boss made it clear that while the absences are a blow, he's backing his squad to step up against the Pamplona-based side.

Raphinha, the Brazilian winger, put in a full 90-minute shift for his country against Argentina in a tense encounter that wrapped up in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, Araujo didn't feature in Uruguay's match against Bolivia, but the long journey back has still taken its toll. Both players are now shifting their focus to being fully fit for Sunday's showdown with Girona.

The loss of Raphinha, in particular, stings for Barcelona. The 28-year-old has been a near-ever-present figure this season, missing just one game, a Copa del Rey tie against Barbastro due to a minor knock.

He's started every other match, except for the reverse fixture against Osasuna earlier this campaign, when he came off the bench with half an hour to go. This time around, he won't even make the dugout, leaving Flick to reshuffle his attacking options.

Despite the setbacks, Flick's confidence in his squad remains unshaken. Barcelona have been in fine form, and a win against Osasuna could solidify their position at the top of La Liga. Fans will be watching closely to see how the team adapt without two of their South American stars.

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