Barcelona are now less than 24 hours away from El Clasico, and the noise is unquestionable. FC Barcelona take on Real Madrid in a clash that could provide three very crucial points to either side. Despite all the tensions and expectations, there are still problems that Barça has to sort out.
One of the major concerns remains that of recovering their injured players. As it stands, Barcelona had six first-team players sidelined prior to today’s training session. Heading into it, it was expected that the feelings from within the training session would guarantee who makes the Barcelona squad list for the Clasico.
Three players remain sidelined
Ultimately, only two players out of the five that trained are now expected to be ready for the clash against Real Madrid. The players that initially trained were Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde, Pedri, Frenkie De Jong, and Raphinha.
According to Javi Miguel of Diario AS however, only the Polish striker and Brazilian winger will end up being available for selection. The rest of the players, namely Pedri, De Jong, and Kounde, will remain unavailable and are set to continue their respective recoveries.
Two forwards return
As per the journalist, their sensations in training have helped Xavi finalize his selections. Whereas Lewandowski and Raphinha seemed flawless and fully recovered, the other stars still do not seem to be at full fitness. Both Pedri and Frenkie De Jong are deemed to require more time on the sidelines to fully recover. For Kounde, the prognosis continues to keep him out for longer.
Possible starter
However, even the recovery of both Lewandowski and Raphinha is seen as a great positive for Barcelona. The medical team has worked well to guarantee their return in time for El Clasico. It will now have to be seen whether or not the Pole even ends up starting, as it is a topic of discussion that is being heavily reported.
The player and Xavi Hernandez are expected to stay in constant contact to finalize their plans. In the event that everything goes as planned, Lewandowski could even make it into the starting eleven. This would be a massive boost for Barcelona, and a scary thought for Real Madrid to digest.
