Following a 0-0 draw against Getafe on away soil, FC Barcelona are set to welcome the other team from the city of Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday afternoon with the aim of moving a step closer to their 27th La Liga title.
Ahead of this highly anticipated encounter against Diego Simeone’s third-placed Atlético Madrid, the Catalan giants have received a triple fitness boost. As per the recent reports from Mundo Deportivo, Spanish wonderboy Pedri, midfield maestro Frekie De Jong and French winger Ousmane Dembele have completely recovered from their respective injuries and are expected to be available for Sunday’s clash against Colchoneros.
A Long-Awaited Return of Pedri:
February 16th marked the day of Pedri’s injury in the first leg of the Europa League knockout tie against Manchester United, and his healing took longer than first anticipated. Xavi has featured Pedri as a vital cog in his starting elevens throughout the season.
Pedri wasn’t able to recover before the El Clásico as expected and that was a month ago but now the stars have aligned for an epic comeback as the 2021 Golden Boy Award winner is expected to start against Atlético Madrid.
The Return of Dutch Midfield Maestro:
Dutch dynamite Frenkie de Jong was the latest of the three players to face a fitness setback owing to a muscle injury just a month ago following the scrappy 2-1 victory against arch-rivals Real Madrid. The former Ajax midfielder has racked up 24 appearances this season while picking up 2 goals and 1 assist along the way. He is back in full training and the Camp Nou faithful hope for a statement performance on his return against Colchoneros.
The return of Pacy winger:
The French winger, Ousmane Dembélé has spent the most time on the sidelines, suffering three months without football action. He experienced discomfort in his left thigh against Girona on 28th January, marking his first injury under the tutelage of Xavi Hernández.
Given his previous time on the treatment table due to several muscle-related issues, the club doctors urged for caution and Xavi followed suit. The 25-year-old is expected to start the game from the bench. The Blaugranes welcome the return of the three players as they slowly head toward the tail end of the 2022/2023 season with the aim of securing the league title.
