Pau Cubarsi rates chances of returning from injury to face Osasuna | OneFootball

Barcelona centre-back Pau Cubarsi has admitted he simply does not know whether he will be fit enough to feature in Thursday's rescheduled La Liga clash with Osasuna.

Cubarsi has been released from the Spain camp after limping off earlier in the week with an ankle injury which manager Luis de la Fuente insisted did not seem too serious.

While there are no concerns over Cubarsi's long-term availability, his injury comes at a tricky time as Barcelona prepare to face Osasuna immediately after the international break. The fixture, initially postponed due to the death of team doctor Carles Minarro Garcia, comes just two days after players will be released from their camps.

Barcelona are already preparing to be without centre-back Ronald Araujo and forward Raphinha, who are in action with Uruguay and Brazil less than 48 hours before the Osasuna game.

Defence is a key area of concern for Barcelona as, alongside Araujo, they will be without the injured duo of Andreas Christensen and Inigo Martinez. With Cubarsi not entirely fit, that leaves Eric Garcia as the team's only natural centre-back.

Quizzed by a fan whether he will be ready to face Osasuna, Cubarsi simply replied: "I don't know."

Cubarsi is due to undergo another scan on Monday and will have his fitness tested ahead of the game. A quick return is likely but the limited time available to the teenage defender has left Barcelona sweating.

Should Cubarsi fail to recover in time, Garcia is likely to be partenered by the versatile Jules Kounde, who has plenty of experience at centre-back but has spent his time at Barcelona on the right. 18-year-old Hector Fort could fill in at full-back.