Barcelona are set for a major fitness boost after the international break as 3 important players edge closer to returning.
Hansi Flick has been forced to manage without several key names in recent weeks, but the club now expect to see light at the end of the tunnel just as the schedule tightens in both La Liga and the Champions League.
The timing could hardly be better with Atletico Madrid waiting on the other side of the break and a European quarter-final also on the horizon.
The trio in question are Alejandro Balde, Jules Kounde and Frenkie de Jong, according to AS.
Balde is the closest to a comeback after sustaining a left hamstring injury in the Copa del Rey clash against Atletico Madrid and was initially expected to miss around four weeks.
Kounde picked up a similar problem in the same match and may need a little more time than Balde, while de Jong has been recovering from a right hamstring issue suffered in training and could return around the Atletico league fixture or shortly after.
Balde’s return would be especially useful because Barcelona have missed his pace and balance on the left side of defence.
Kounde’s availability would give Flick more flexibility at right back and centre back, which is important with the team entering a heavy run of decisive games.
De Jong’s comeback could be even more valuable in midfield, where Barcelona have relied on alternatives while he has been sidelined.
That cautious approach makes sense given the stakes, as Barcelona are trying to keep its strongest XI available for the season’s defining matches.
If all three players come back on schedule, Flick will gain a timely lift just when the margin for error becomes very small.
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