Raphinha and goalie Joan García fit for Barcelona’s return to Camp Nou

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Raphinha and goalkeeper Joan García have recovered from injury in time for Barcelona’s first game at Camp Nou in over two years.

Coach Hansi Flick said García will start against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday while Raphinha will begin the game on the bench.

Barcelona will aim for a win to keep pace in La Liga before it travels to London to face Chelsea in the Champions League next week.

Barcelona trails leader Real Madrid by three points entering Round 13, when Xavi Alonso’s side visits Elche on Sunday.

Key matches

Besides seeing how a Camp Nou that is still under renovation holds up for its first game, the best action this weekend could come in southern Spain.

Elche has been the surprise package of the Spanish league this season. Recently promoted and with a modest squad, Elche has only lost three of its 12 games played and sits in 11th place.

Third-place Villarreal hosts Mallorca on Saturday only two points behind Barcelona. Atletico Madrid, in fourth, is at Getafe on Sunday.

Players to watch

Raphinha and García have been sidelined for almost two months with leg injuries, so their performance level will be closely watched.

Injured midfielder Pedri González, Flick said, may recover from a muscle tear in his left thigh in time for the Chelsea trip on Tuesday.

Kylian Mbappé is back in training for Madrid a week after he sat out an inconsequential game for France due to inflammation in his right ankle. A video posted by Madrid showed Mbappé running at full speed and scoring goals in practice on Friday.

Out of action

Éder Militão is out for Madrid with a left thigh injury that he picked up while playing for Brazil during last week’s international break. He joins fellow first-choice central defender Antonio Rudiger on Madrid’s injured list.

Barcelona will be without suspended midfielder Frenkie de Jong. With Pedri also out, Flick could turn to Dani Olmo and Fermín López along with Marc Casadó in midfield.

Off the field

Barcelona’s last game at Camp Nou before it was closed for renovations was in May 2023. In the meantime, Barcelona has been playing mostly at the city’s 55,000-seat Olympic Stadium.

On Saturday, Camp Nou will only be partially opened with 45,401 seats available, roughly half its capacity before it closed. Once it is finally finished, the new Camp Nou will hold 105,000 fans.

“We’re happy, and I hope it gives us that extra edge thanks to the supporters being so close,” Flick said Friday. “They always help us, and it’s wonderful to see this bond between the team and the fans.”

Earlier this month, over 20,000 fans turned out to watch Barcelona’s first practice back at Camp Nou.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer