Barcelona are facing a crunch period in their campaign as the season nears its final stretch.
With Champions League qualification on the line and La Liga’s title race slipping away, the pressure is on Hansi Flick to manage his squad smartly.
The Catalan giants have played four matches in just ten days, including a tightly contested 1-1 draw with Real Betis at the weekend.
Most of Barcelona’s key players also featured for their respective nations over the international break, with some involved in gruelling matches that went to extra time.
Fatigue is visibly creeping in, and injuries remain a constant threat to Barcelona’s European ambitions.
The return of one player, however, could be pivotal for Flick’s hopes of steadying the ship.
Dani Olmo is closing in on a return to action, according to Spanish outlet AS, who report that the Spanish midfielder is recovering well and progressing faster than expected.
Dani Olmo picked up a knock in the game against Osasuna shortly after returning from international duty with Spain in the Nations League.
Initial reports suggested a three-week layoff, with that period set to end on Thursday.
While the Champions League first-leg clash against Borussia Dortmund comes too soon for Olmo, Barcelona are optimistic he will be back in full training by Thursday and could return to action in the weekend La Liga fixture against Leganes.
The ultimate aim is to have him match-fit and firing for the decisive second leg against Dortmund in Germany next week.
Olmo has featured 28 times this season for Barcelona, netting eight goals and providing five assists in all competitions.
His creativity and tactical intelligence have been sorely missed in recent weeks, and his return could give Barcelona the cutting edge they’ve lacked in key games.
With several players running on empty, Flick will be hoping Olmo can inject renewed energy and play a leading role as the club targets a place in the Champions League semi-finals.
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