Barcelona midfielder Pedri has a chance of being involved in Saturday’s La Liga contest with Valencia at Mestalla.
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has revealed that Pedri has a chance of being involved in Saturday’s La Liga contest with Valencia at Mestalla.
Pedri picked up a knee injury while representing Spain at Euro 2024, and it had been thought that he would be absent for the early stages of the 2024-25 campaign.
However, Flick revealed during his press conference on Friday that the midfielder has a chance of featuring off the bench in the team’s opening game of the new season.
“Pedri is a special player, he changes games. He could be an option for the second half tomorrow,” the new Barcelona head coach revealed.
The Catalan giants will still be missing some key players on Saturday, though, as Ronald Araujo, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong and Ansu Fati are all injured, while Dani Olmo is yet to be registered.
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Pedri could feature for Barcelona against Valencia
“He’s not an option for tomorrow as he has not trained much. First he has to train to be able to help us,” Flick responded when asked about OImo.
De Jong, meanwhile, missed Euro 2024 with the ankle injury that he suffered in early March, and the Netherlands international is still some way off being available for selection.
“We don’t know when he [De Jong] will be back, he’s still injured and we are waiting. We don’t want to rush him,” Flick added when questioned on the midfielder.
“After the international break, there will be many more players available. I’m optimistic, but there’s still time.
“We have more players available in the team and I hope they can return, but I don’t have a set date for their return. Their recovery is on track. I am satisfied with the squad. When I signed my contract I knew it wouldn’t be easy but I trust the club.”
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Araujo, Fati, Gavi, De Jong remain on the treatment table
Flick also said that he is “really looking forward” to Barcelona’s league opener against Valencia, which comes immediately after a 3-0 loss to Monaco in the Joan Gamper Trophy.
“I am really looking forward to the match. I know that in Valencia it is always difficult. It will be a tough game. They like to attack, so we will have to keep an eye on the space between the defence and the goal,” he added.
“We can’t even think about anything that can’t be changed. We’re going to focus on what we can influence. I have experience and I’ve come here accepting the facts that I can’t control. I hope we’ll see a good show and we can win in Valencia.
“I don’t want to say much about the eleven, I never do. There are no excuses about Gamper, we accept it. The team was a bit tired because we trained very hard. It was a game that didn’t come at the best time, because if you win you have confidence, but we have recovered our energy.”
Flick also confirmed on Friday that Lamine Yamal should be involved against Valencia despite the fact that the teenager has only just returned to training after helping Spain win Euro 2024.
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