Barcelona are entering a crucial period in their season, with fixtures coming thick and fast across three competitions. The rescheduled clash against Osasuna provides a golden opportunity for the Blaugrana to move three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga.

Following that, Hansi Flick’s side face a demanding schedule: Girona visit the Estadi Olímpic on Sunday, then comes a Copa del Rey semifinal showdown away to Atlético Madrid on Wednesday, before Real Betis arrive in Barcelona next Saturday.

And it doesn’t stop there. The Champions League quarterfinal against Borussia Dortmund is on the horizon, with the two legs sandwiching an away trip to Leganés in LaLiga.

With so many high-stakes matches in quick succession, squad fitness is a major talking point. However, Flick remains confident in his players’ ability to handle the intensity, thanks to reassurances from his staff.

“I have a meeting with my staff, also the physiotherapists, the fitness coaches, and we spoke about what we can do to recover better and faster,” the German coach explained.

“They said to me, ‘Hey, coach, the players are good, they are fit.’ They think to play every three days is not a big thing for them, so I believe in them and we will see what happens.”

With Flick’s faith in his squad and their fitness levels, Barça will now look to navigate this demanding run of games with their title ambitions still firmly intact.