Barcelona have finally reached Saudi Arabia and now continue their preparations for the Spanish Super Cup. This competition will show the Catalan giants their quickest route to a title this season already. However, ahead of the first game, there are still a few uncertainties within the Barcelona camp.
The major uncertainties still lie within the injury department for Barcelona. With three players having been included in the final squad list without medical clearance, Barcelona first have to see which of those stars are able to compete in the first game itself.
The two most likely candidates to feature were undoubtedly Joao Cancelo and Pedri. Both the Portuguese fullback and the Spanish midfielder were reportedly strong candidates to potentially feature at some point during the competition. However, with a hypothetical final still a game away, Xavi addressed their current progressions for now.
As highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, Xavi is more optimistic about one star’s participation over the other’s. According to the Barcelona head coach, Pedri is the more likely candidate to feature against Osasuna in the semi-final. Cancelo, on the other hand, will have to be tested again before a hypothetical final.
The exact words of the Barcelona coach were as follows:
“We are more optimistic about Pedri. He has been feeling good for days. With Cancelo, I see it as difficult for tomorrow, perhaps for the final. We will see the sensations today, but it’s Pedri who is closer. Iñigo won’t make it.”
However, with the training session up ahead still to be concluded, it could provide even more answers. For now, the logical step would be to take Xavi’s words with a grain of salt. Pedri is still not a guarantee to feature against CA Osasuna, but it seems that Joao Cancelo can most likely be ruled out of the game.