Barcelona’s preparations for the crucial clash against Athletic Club took an unexpected turn today.
As reported by Carlos Monfort of SPORT, the likes of Joan Garcia, Marc Bernal, and Marc Casado all turned up to train at the club facilities, despite the squad officially having a day off.
While such commitment is not unusual among players fighting for a place, the circumstances around each of their situations add a deeper layer to today’s development.
Optimism with Joan Garcia
Among the trio, the most encouraging update revolves around Joan Garcia.
The goalkeeper has been inching closer to returning from injury, and as reported before, he is now finally expected to be available for selection against Athletic Club this weekend.
Given Barcelona’s urgent need to stabilise their defensive structure, especially as they continue their pursuit of Real Madrid at the top of the league table, Garcia’s imminent return could arrive at the perfect moment.
What about Casado?
Casado’s situation, however, remains far more uncertain.
Marc Casado, Barcelona player
Casado turned up to Barcelona’s training facility. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
While he did make an appearance at the training complex, Casado still has not trained with the full squad since suffering his injury, instead continuing his rehabilitation through controlled gym-based sessions.
That cautious approach from the medical department strongly suggests that the club does not want to take risks with him.
As things stand, his participation in the upcoming match appears increasingly unlikely, as he has yet to step onto the pitch for football-based work.
Then there is Bernal
Bernal’s case offers a more optimistic picture. Barcelona have already agreed for him to represent the Catalan national team in a friendly against Palestine, a decision taken jointly by the player and the club.
He is set to play 45 minutes in tomorrow’s match, a carefully planned step designed to help him regain fitness, rhythm, and match sensations as he edges closer to re-entering Flick’s plans.
As such, the situation of all three players shares a similar theme that they are pushing harder, even on a rest day, to put themselves in the best possible position ahead of a challenging stretch of fixtures.