Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez has, on Saturday, provided a telling update on the current state of his squad.
The Blaugrana, of course, are currently in the process of putting the finishing touches on preparations for their latest La Liga outing.
After Clasico rivals Real Madrid cut the club’s advantage at the summit of the Spanish top-flight to eight points this evening, Xavi and co. will welcome Atletico Madrid to the Camp Nou, for a highly anticipated clash.
Barca are primed to head into proceedings in search of a bounce-back result, after being held to back-to-back goalless stalemates over the course of the last two weeks.
Xavi Hernandez, head coach of FC Barcelona, during the La Liga Santander match between FC Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid at Camp Nou Stadium on February 06 , 2022 in Barcelona, Spain (Alamy Stock Photo)
And such efforts on the part of the Catalans could well be boosted by the return of a number of key members of Xavi’s ranks.
Speaking to the media on Saturday evening, Barca’s boss provided updates on the fitness of no fewer than five Blaugrana stars.
Both Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, meanwhile, face last-minute fitness tests, ahead of tomorrow’s Atletico showdown.
Sergi Roberto, though, remains on the treatment table, with his recovery timeline unclear.
🎙 Xavi: “Dembélé is almost ready. This week we will get him back. Christensen is also almost 100%. Tomorrow, we will decide if Pedri and/or Frenkie start. Except for Sergi Roberto, we are close to having the entire squad ready.” pic.twitter.com/SRYR3LnfZ4
— total Barça (@totalBarca) April 22, 2023
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