The other 11 Barcelona players who played during the break, including Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, are available – but Flick says they have not fully recovered.
“It’s not the best situation for them. The players have played with their national teams, and that’s bad,” Flick said.
“Now we have to play against Osasuna, and we have to talk about whether it’s the right time. I’m not happy. There are other leagues that do it differently.
“I can’t change that. That’s my personal opinion. But we’re going to play, we’re not making excuses. The team is ready and we have to strive for the best performance. We’re going for it.
“The quality of the team is good and we can beat anyone, even if the players don’t get the optimal rest.”
Victory against Osasuna would move Barcelona three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga with 10 games left to play, before they host Girona on Sunday.
In the space of 19 days the Catalan club will play seven matches across La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.
