Hansi Flick fielded a significantly changed FC Barcelona team for the last league match against Osasuna. Injuries and fatigue forced the German tactician to make several rotations for this match, but these changes ultimately cost the team as the Blaugranes ended up losing 4-2 against Osasuna.
The most notable names to be rested in this game were Inigo Martinez, Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha. The Spanish defender had missed only nine minutes before that game, Yamal had missed only fourteen minutes, while Raphinha had played all the possible minutes this season before getting the rest in the Osasuna match.
Ter Stegen, who had also been playing every match before his injury against Villarreal also missed that match, and also the one against Getafe.
In such a situation, SPORT reports that Flick now has only two untouchable players in his squad who have started every single game for Barcelona this season.
One of these players is the French defender Jules Kounde, who remains the only player in the Blaugrana team to have played every single minute this season. He has accumulated 720 minutes in La Liga up to now, and another 90 minutes in the Champions League, while also playing two games with France in the last international break.
The other player to have started every game for Flick up to now is Robert Lewandowski. The Pole has had a spectacular start to this season, having scored seven goals in his nine appearances up to now. While he has started all nine games up to now, Flick has rested him in five of these games by subbing him out in the latter phases.
Both these players have incredible work ethics and follow very intense and disciplined fitness plans. This has allowed them to keep performing at the highest level with very little rest, and they are expected to once again start the upcoming game against Young Boys on Tuesday.