Four of the seven injured FC Barcelona players, (Lamine Yamal, Raphina, Joan Garcia and Marc Casado) could all return to action on Saturday when Athletic Club comes to Catalonia. And how fitting that would be, as this is a game that is already defined by the word “return.” Yes, FINALLY! After more than two years away at Montjuïc, Barcelona are back at home. No more “home away from home,” so this match will indeed be a live one!
Ticket prices are wildly sky high, as you might expect. Let’s get to the team news.
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club FYIs
Sat. Nov 22, 9pm, Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Barca Preview Material: Full Injury Update Team News Starting XI Prediction
La Liga Standing, Form: Barca 2nd 85 pts, LWLWW Athletic Club 7th, 17 pts, WDLLW
Google Result Probability: Barca 67% Draw 19% Athletic Club 14%
Barca Team News
Let’s start with Yamal, who missed out on international duty with Spain this window, due to chronic pubalgia. He is expected to potentially be ready for a starting assignment here. Moving on to Casado, he’s been in individual training, due to an adductor issue, but he’s also expected to be cleared to play. Goalkeeper Joan Garcia, it is being reported, has recovered from surgery to repair a meniscus tear back in September. The fourth player who is slated for a return here is Raphinha, who has been out for over a month with a hamstring injury.
Pedri, who has been battling a muscular injury since El Clasico, is not far behind. He could feature on Tuesday night versus Chelsea. And then finally, the last two injured players, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Gavi, remain out as longer-term injury absentees.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN.