RFEF aids Barcelona with early return of U21 players

Barcelona has received unexpected support from the RFEF, the Spanish football federation, as they prepare to play Osasuna on March 27. The RFEF, along with La Liga, has decided to reschedule the match despite objections from both Barcelona and Osasuna. They argued that the new date violates FIFA rules, which state players need at least 72 hours of rest between matches. Nonetheless, the game will go on as planned. Most of Barcelona's players will return from international duty in time. However, Ronald Araujo and Raphinha will be delayed as they travel back from South America. This situation leaves coach Hansi Flick with little time to organize his squad. In a break for Barcelona, three U21 players—Fermin Lopez, Pablo Torre, and Gerard Martin—will return early from their national team training camp. They will not participate in a friendly match against Germany. With injuries affecting the team, Martin may be brought in to fill in, while Lopez and Torre could see minutes as many midfielders have been busy with international play. The U21 team has already qualified for the UEFA Euro U21 tournament, aiming to recover from their loss to England in the 2023 final. They will compete in Group A with Slovakia, Italy, and Romania during the tournament this summer.