FC Barcelona Is Ready To Welcome Three Players Back To Action
Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde should both return to FC Barcelona action after the international break. Getty Images FC Barcelona is set to welcome a trio of players back to action following the international break. April is a huge month for the Blaugrana, starting with Saturday’s away trip to Atletico Madrid in the league.
Then a few days later, Barca hosts that same opposition in a Champions League quarterfinal first leg and again heads to the Metropolitano for the decider under a week after. Wedged between those dates is the derby with Espanyol at the Spotify Camp Nou, while other key La Liga fixtures include Celta Vigo (home) and Getafe (away). Hansi Flick will need every member of the squad, and is reeling from having lost Raphinha for five weeks .
The Brazilian was injured during his country’s 3-2 friendly defeat to France in Foxborough on Thursday, after complaining of muscle discomfort in his right thigh. He’ll miss all of the mentioned fixtures and a hypothetical UCL semifinal first leg against Sporting CP or Arsenal providing his club get that far. Yet at least the German manager has been boosted by Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde returning to train on grass at the Joan Gamper CT this week.
Both injured in the Copa del Rey semifinal second leg win to Atleti, which was a 3-o victory on the night but an 4-3 aggregate loss overall, the duo gives the team more options in defense. In Balde’s absence, Joao Cancelo has impressed at left back while Gerard Martin can also slot in there yet is forming more of a central partnership as of late. Kounde being out allowed La Masia prospect Xavi Espart to make his senior debut at Newcastle as a right back, and Araujo has played there too.
They’ll continue to challenge the Frenchman for the slot, while an also returning Eric is an additional option. The other big name rounding off the trio however is Frenkie de Jong . The Dutchman was on a good run of form before getting injured in training, and his reaction crying in his car on the way home after receiving the bad news said it all.