Hansi Flick on Frenkie de Jong's Fitness and Robert Lewandowski's Future

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has announced that Frenkie de Jong is expected to be fit for the upcoming Catalan derby this weekend, provided all goes well. The Dutch midfielder has been sidelined for the past six weeks due to a muscle tear. His return comes at a crucial time for Barcelona, who are facing a shortage of midfielders.

Given the demanding fixture list, including a significant Champions League second-leg match against Atletico Madrid next Tuesday, Barcelona might need to rotate their squad for the derby. Flick emphasized the team's depth and quality, stating that any lineup would be strong.

"We'll see, of course we have to take care of the players and manage their minutes, as always. We have a lot of quality in this team and whoever plays tomorrow will do fantastic," Flick commented. He expressed optimism about the team's focus, noting, "I have very good feelings, the atmosphere and concentration were very good in training and I see the players very prepared and focused for tomorrow."

Lamine Yamal and Frenkie de Jong Fitness Update

Frenkie de Jong participated in partial team training on Thursday and trained fully on Saturday. Flick indicated a cautious approach to his return: "He’s also taking it one step at a time; the next step is tomorrow. We’ll see how he feels after training and then we’ll see what we do tomorrow. I’m very happy he’s back, but we have to wait until tomorrow. If he feels good in training, then he'll be on the bench."

Regarding other midfield options, if Pedri is rested, Gavi, who substituted him against Atletico Madrid, could be considered. Flick stated, "We’ll see how we manage it; it’s always good for him to start in the starting eleven, and we’ll see. I haven’t decided yet; we’ll have to wait until tomorrow."

Flick also indicated that Lamine Yamal is a strong candidate to play against Espanyol. "He’s a good option to start tomorrow, and we’ll see if he plays 90 minutes or not. We have to see; with him, we have to take it step by step, but he’s ready to start."

Robert Lewandowski's Future

In response to recent speculation about Robert Lewandowski's future, Flick declined to comment. "I’ve already answered that, I always answer it, it’s not the time to talk about this. We have a big goal and all the players need to focus on that and give their best, it’s not the time to talk about this. Next year is important but now is not the time to talk about who’s leaving," he stated.

Lewandowski's contract is set to expire this summer, with reports suggesting Barcelona has offered him a deal with significantly reduced wages and a less prominent role. Italian clubs AC Milan and Juventus have reportedly expressed interest in the forward.