Fresh blow for Barcelona: Christensen nears return but Flick may miss him for two key games
Hansi Flick has received an encouraging development in Barcelona’s ongoing injury situation, as one of the defenders who has been sidelined for a lengthy period took another step towards recovery. However, the player’s return to training has not been enough to confirm when he will be back in competitive action.
Although the latest signs have been positive, the coaching staff do not want to rush into a decision that could set the player’s recovery back, especially with two difficult fixtures against Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid approaching.
According to Barca Universal, citing Mundo Deportivo, Andreas Christensen is not expected to be available for Barcelona’s Champions League clash with Aston Villa. His chances of featuring against Atletico Madrid next Sunday also appear slim.
The Danish defender recently took part in a portion of Barcelona’s group training session, marking an important step in his rehabilitation from the injury he sustained during the match against Sevilla in September.
Despite this positive development, the club prefer to handle his situation cautiously. Christensen has struggled with recurring fitness problems over the past three seasons, and the medical staff do not want to risk bringing him back before he is fully fit.
Reports indicate that Christensen’s absence against Aston Villa is certain, while Barcelona have not completely ruled out the possibility of him featuring against Atletico Madrid. The club will assess his progress during the coming training sessions before making a final decision.
The situation comes at a difficult time for Flick, who is dealing with a shortage of defensive options following injuries to Christensen, Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia and Xavi Espart.
The German coach was forced to use unconventional solutions during the recent match against Deportivo Alaves, deploying Frenkie de Jong at centre-back and handing Brian Farinas his first-team debut at right-back.
Barcelona hope Christensen will regain full fitness as soon as possible, given the experience and stability he can bring to the back line. However, the club’s priority remains ensuring that he makes a complete recovery without suffering another setback.
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