Marcus Rashford Ruled Out of Copa del Rey Semi-Final with Knee Injury

Barcelona have confirmed that Marcus Rashford will miss Thursday's crucial Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid due to a knee problem sustained during Saturday's La Liga victory over Mallorca. The English forward has been ruled out as a precautionary measure, dealing a significant blow to Hansi Flick's attacking options ahead of the high-stakes encounter at the Metropolitano.

In an official statement released on Tuesday, Barcelona said: "First team player Marcus Rashford is experiencing discomfort in his left knee resulting from a blow received during the match against Mallorca. He is ruled out as a precautionary measure for tomorrow's match against Atlético de Madrid." The club indicated that Rashford, who is on loan from Manchester United, is not expected to be sidelined for an extended period.

Rashford and Brazilian winger Raphinha both missed training on Wednesday as Barcelona continued preparations for the semi-final. Raphinha remains unavailable after being diagnosed with muscle overload and has admitted this week that he is "better, but not 100%" yet. The dual absence of two key attacking players represents a significant challenge for Barcelona as they defend their Copa del Rey title from last season.

The injury comes at a particularly inopportune time for Barcelona, who face a resurgent Atletico Madrid side in a two-legged semi-final that will determine who advances to the final. Rashford has made a positive impact since joining Barcelona on loan during the January transfer window, providing pace and directness to the Catalan club's attack. His absence will force Flick to reconfigure his forward line for one of the most important matches of the season.

Barcelona will need to rely on other attacking options including Robert Lewandowski, Ferran Torres, and potentially younger squad members to fill the void left by Rashford and Raphinha. The return leg at Camp Nou is scheduled for early March, meaning Barcelona will be hoping to avoid a significant deficit in tomorrow's away fixture. The defending champions remain favorites to retain their Copa del Rey crown, but these injury setbacks have complicated their path to the final.

Flick's side will resume training later today with a final session before traveling to Madrid. The German manager faces crucial tactical decisions as he attempts to navigate these personnel challenges while maintaining Barcelona's attacking threat against Diego Simeone's well-organized Atletico defense.