Barcelona recover two weapons before the Atletico Madrid clash: Flick awaits the final decision
Delayed revenge and a defensive boost
Barcelona have wrapped up their preparations for the eagerly anticipated clash with Atletico Madrid, and the signs are positive on the injury front. Hansi Flick is waiting on one final test for defenders Eric Garcia and Andreas Christensen before deciding whether they can feature in the much-awaited summit at the Metropolitano.
Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo" report that Barcelona held their final training session on Saturday ahead of the trip to Atletico Madrid. Both Garcia and Christensen took part, having shown strong recovery from the injuries that had sidelined them.
Both defenders will undergo a final fitness test before Flick decides whether to name them in the squad. The fixture matters, and the team need extra options at the back.
Five players remain out: Rodri, Jules Kounde, Dani Olmo, Marc Casado and Roony Bardghji all continue their rehabilitation away from group training.
Rodri, Kounde and Olmo could return after the international break. Casado, a product of the club's academy, is expected back at the start of next year, while Swedish forward Bardghji faces a longer spell on the sidelines before he regains full fitness.
Flick also handed minutes to a clutch of youngsters, calling up Alex Campos, Ibrahima Toukara and Max Bonfill to first-team training alongside Hamza Abdelkarim.
Guille Fernandez and Oriol Gorrin missed the session. Both have been sent to join Barcelona's reserve side ahead of their clash with Manresa.
This fixture carries exceptional weight for Barcelona, who are out to restore their pride against Atletico Madrid after last season's painful double elimination in the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.
Revenge on their Madrid rivals is only part of the story. The Catalans also want the three points to stay top of La Liga heading into the international break.
Barcelona will name their final squad for the match tomorrow, according to Mundo Deportivo, before travelling to the capital with club president Joan Laporta.
Spanish internationals Joan Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Pedri, Fermin Lopez and Lamine Yamal are expected to stay in the capital to link up with the national team's camp on Monday.
