Barcelona faces a challenging week, aiming to sustain their title pursuit and orchestrate a crucial comeback against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Encouragingly for manager Hansi Flick, he will have an expanded roster of players at his disposal.
Following Marc Bernal’s injury at the Metropolitano last weekend, Pedri once again partnered Eric Garcia in midfield on Wednesday. Although Pedri was substituted at half-time against Atletico Madrid, medical assessments have fortunately ruled out any serious injury. There is optimism that Bernal might recover sufficiently to participate in the second leg against Atletico.
Frenkie de Jong Returns to Fitness
Further positive news for the Blaugrana arrived on Thursday with Frenkie de Jong’s return to training. The Dutch midfielder has been sidelined for six weeks. While there was initial hope he might feature in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, he was still training individually on Tuesday.
According to Sport, de Jong joined his teammates for part of their training session as they gear up to face Espanyol on Saturday evening. A clearer picture of his availability for the match against ‘Los Pericos’ is expected on Friday. The current plan is for him to make an appearance in that game, gradually building towards a more significant role at the Metropolitano.
More Midfield Options for Flick
Gavi’s strong performance in the second half against Atletico highlighted his potential to be a crucial asset for Barcelona once more. For the Espanyol match, Marc Casado, Pedri, Eric Garcia, and Gavi are the main contenders for starting midfield roles in the derby. There will likely be consideration to rest Garcia and Pedri, both of whom have been instrumental players over the past month.
