Barcelona has many great players to form a remarkable lineup every weekend. However, at this time of year they need every player available. That made Thursday’s training session a positive one for Hansi Flick, as he received updates on Marcus Rashford and Pedri.
After the loss to Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semifinals, which left them at significant risk of elimination, and the defeat at Girona that put Real Madrid in the lead in La Liga, these reinforcements could be decisive.
In Wednesday’s session, Flick saw Rashford and Pedri taking part in team drills again. Even if they only participated in parts of the workout, their return to group training is encouraging. The manager plans to include them in the squad for the Levante match even if they are used as substitutes, according to Marca.
Pedri would be returning after a long absence
There are players like Lamine Yamal whose skills are irreplaceable. Goals are hard to come by. However, Barcelona has other talents who can be useful as well. That may not be true for Pedri.
The midfielder has been a vital part of the team’s functioning. Missing a player who combines work rate with the quality to retain possession is why the team looked lost at times.
Pedri has been sidelined since January 21, when he suffered a muscle injury with about 30 minutes remaining in the Champions League match against Slavia Prague. Even though a month might seem like a safe recovery period, Flick may be cautious with Pedri’s minutes.
Flick ran a different training session
It was a long week for Barcelona that could cost them two titles after those defeats. That prompted Flick to give the players two full days of rest following the loss at Girona. The decision was reinforced by how they started the day.
Flick had the players watch video from the recent matches to analyze mistakes. For an hour, that was all the German manager chose to do. Avoiding the same errors as Barcelona enters the toughest part of the schedule was the focus of the meeting.