This time there were no rest days for Xavi’s Barcelona after the crash in the Copa del Rey classic at the Camp Nou against Real Madrid. The 12-point advantage of the blaugrana over the whites in the League is not reason enough for Xavi Hernández, who has between eyebrows winning the domestic championship. The best antidote to recovering morale, undermined after running out of a cup final, is to win against Girona on Monday, a team that in the eyes of the coaching staff “has improved a lot and they will come wanting to prove it.” The concentration must be maximum because there will be no news in the list of summoned that the coach will provide today. Barça will appear again on the green of the Camp Nou without Dembélé, Pedri, Christensen or Frenkie de Jong, four footballers who are essential in Xavi Hernández’s scheme. La Liga is on track and the club does not want to force any of the four players. This is how each one of them is.
The French winger was the first of the four to fall. On January 28, an injury to the rectus femoris of his left leg was detected against Girona in Montilivi and he was given an estimated time off of one and a half months, also taking into account his history of slow-healing injuries. On March 16, he suffered a relapse that has kept him away from the pitch for another month. The striker, who beyond the work he does in the sports city has external recuperators, still does not step on the green and is the footballer whose return date is more difficult to predict. From the club they point out that he could return on April 23 in the match that will be played at the Camp Nou against Atlético de Madrid.
Like Dembélé, the canary injured the anterior rectus but in his case it was in the left leg and in the first leg of the Europa League round of 32 against Manchester United. From that moment on, his objective was to arrive for the League classic on April 19. Everything was going well and even in the week before that key match he did part of the training with the group. Both parties wanted to go too fast and the footballer suffered a relapse. And as a consequence, his recovery from injury has become much more cautious. The footballer, transcendental in the Blaugrana midfield, has lost seven games. He continues working in the gym and, as with Dembélé, the club believes that he could return against Atlético de Madrid.
The Dutchman noticed discomfort in the classic league game on March 19 that Barcelona beat Real Madrid 2-1. He completed the game but the medical tests carried out the following day determined that he suffered a biceps femoris injury in his right leg for which he was dropped from the Netherlands team. He missed the game against Elche and, although at first he considered playing the classic, his feelings were not positive. Soccer player, medical staff and technical staff opted for prudence. This week his sensations have not improved. Although he is in the final phase of recovery, the Dutchman continues with problems that prevent him from training with the group. The coaching staff will not force him and ruled him out yesterday for tomorrow’s game against Girona. Yes, it is expected that the Dutchman can play against Getafe on Sunday, April 16.
The Danish central defender, one of the signings that has caused the best sensations, was injured on March 25 with Denmark during the international break. After traveling to Barcelona and undergoing further medical tests, the club confirmed that he is suffering from a soleus injury in his left leg. The estimated time is one month so he could play again in Vallecas against Rayo on April 26.
