Joan Garcia trains with the group at the Spotify Camp Nou!

A day full of emotions at the Spotify Camp Nou, not only because of the long-awaited reunion between the team and its fans in the blue and claret temple, but also due to the positive news that Hansi Flick received during the session. For the first time since his injury in Oviedo on September 25, Joan Garcia was able to train alongside his teammates in the first team´s open practice at Barça. The goalkeeper had been progressively increasing his workload in recent weeks and had already been doing individual exercises on the pitch at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. This Friday, at the Spotify Camp Nou, Joan Garcia felt part of the group again, completing the training in front of the 23,000 fans who filled the stands of the stadium for the first time since the start of the construction work. The goalkeeper from Sallent, who had made a remarkable start to the season —only five goals conceded in the first seven official matches—, suffered a small tear of the internal meniscus in his left knee. This injury kept him off the pitch for six weeks, during which Szczesny took over as the starter with a performance that did not reach the level shown by the great blue and claret signing of this season. Regarding his definitive return, Hansi Flick was clear in his last appearance after the match against Elche. The German coach stated: “We hope that Joan García returns to the team in the first match after the international break, but I don’t think he will be available on Wednesday (Champions match in Bruges where he did not participate). Still, he is progressing very well and his performance is really excellent.” The coach´s statements suggest that, despite the good feelings, his return in Vigo will not be rushed and that his official reappearance could occur against Athletic Club after the international commitments.

Eric and Christensen available; Kounde remains sidelined

Eric Garcia also trained on the pitch at the Spotify Camp Nou, despite the nasal fracture he suffered in Belgium during the last Champions match against Bruges. As the club communicated, the central defender from Martorell tried his luck with a protective mask to assess whether he will be available for Flick in the match against Celta this Sunday at Balaídos. On the other hand, Andreas Christensen, who had withdrawn from the last session before the trip to Bruges and was ultimately not called up, completed a new training session with the group after training on Thursday with the players who did not have minutes in the Jan Breydel Stadium.