Barcelona have several casualties ahead of their all-important El Clasico against Real Madrid later this month.
While the upcoming games against Granada and Athletic Club can quite possibly be taken care of without them, Xavi would ideally have wished to have a full-strength squad at his disposal.
As such, star striker Robert Lewandowski and midfielder Frenkie de Jong are among those who will miss, but it is not all gloomy for Barcelona.
This is because midfielder Pedri has confirmed that he will do everything in his power to be available for Clasico.
“If everything goes well, I will be at my best for El Clasico,” he responded on The Residency app, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
“I really want to get back; fortunately, everything has gone very well and I’m almost there,” he added.
When is Pedri returning?
In all fairness, there is no particular timeframe. At the moment, Pedri is now approaching the last leg of his rehabilitation journey following the injury he sustained while training, affecting the rectus femoris muscle in his right thigh back on August 24th.
Barcelona is grappling with multiple injuries in the lead-up to the crucial El Clasico against Real Madrid later this month. While upcoming matches against Granada and Athletic Club might be manageable without the sidelined players, Coach Xavi would have preferred a full-strength squad.
Unfortunately, star striker Robert Lewandowski and midfielder Frenkie de Jong are among those sidelined. However, there’s a glimmer of hope for Barcelona as midfielder Pedri is determined to make himself available for the Clasico.
Pedri expressed his commitment, saying, “If everything goes well, I will be at my best for El Clasico.” He further added, “I really want to get back; fortunately, everything has gone very well, and I’m almost there.”
Regarding Pedri’s return date, there isn’t a specific timeframe. He’s nearing the final stages of rehabilitation after suffering a rectus femoris muscle injury in his right thigh during training on August 24th. While there’s ongoing discussion about a potential comeback against Athletic on October 22nd, just a week before Real Madrid’s visit, Pedri refrained from providing specific details but conveyed his determination, saying, “Soon, after the break, I hope to be ready.”
Pedri also praised the team’s resilience despite his and Frenkie de Jong’s absence, stating, “Barça has a great squad, and whoever plays, they always do a good job.” He acknowledged the challenges of injuries in their profession, emphasizing the need to work hard for a strong comeback.
With three games to play before the Real Madrid clash, Barcelona’s coaching staff is hopeful that most of the injured players will recover in time for the crucial match.