As the international break comes to an end, FC Barcelona is gearing up for the return of La Liga action this weekend.
This Saturday, November 22, the Catalans will face Athletic Club in a match that marks their return to the Spotify Camp Nou after an absence of over 900 days.
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In preparation for the game, the Blaugrana are set to welcome back Raphinha and Joan Garcia, both of whom have fully recovered from their injuries.
Meanwhile, Pedri is nearing his return but did not participate in group training today, as the team is cautious about rushing him back too soon.
Guillem Victor Called Up
According to Sergi Capdevila of SPORT, Hansi Flick has brought young right-back Guillem Victor into first-team training today due to increasing injury concerns in that position.
Recently, Xavi Espart sustained an injury while representing the Spanish U-19 national team. The La Masia right-back had been training consistently with the first team, prompting Flick to seek additional options to support Jules Kounde in that role.
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One potential candidate was Landry Farre, but the 18-year-old Barça Atletic player suffered a knee injury in last Sunday’s derby against Espanyol B.
Medical evaluations are scheduled for Tuesday afternoon to assess the injury’s severity, but initial reports are not promising.
In light of this situation, Flick decided to summon Guillem Victor to first-team training to provide backup at right-back. Joan Anaya could have been an alternative, but he will be required by the reserve team due to the absences of Farre and Espart.
The 18-year-old prospect, who is the brother of former Barcelona forward Pau Victor, is currently part of the Juvenil A squad, but has made one appearance for Barça Atletic.
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It will be interesting to see if Guillem continues with the first team as they prepare for the upcoming match against Athletic Club.
Additionally, young midfielder Tommy Marques also trained with the senior squad in today’s session.
As for Farre, the club is concerned about his injury. If the worst-case scenarios are confirmed, it would be a significant blow for the young player, who had just recovered from a right-ankle injury that sidelined him at the beginning of the season.
Nevertheless, Barcelona remains confident in his long-term potential. The defender renewed his contract last month and is now committed to the club until June 2028.