Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has confirmed Lamine Yamal is fit to play a part against Las Palmas in LaLiga on Saturday after recovering from an ankle injury.
The 17-year-old has missed Barça’s last three matches, against Real Sociedad, Celta Vigo and Brest, and also sat out Spain’s games against Denmark and Switzerland after spraining his ankle against Red Star Belgrade on Nov. 6.
Barça were beaten by La Real and drew against Celta — they had failed to win a game which Yamal had not started this season before beating Brest 3-0 in midweek.
“Lamine is back, he’s ready to play,” Flick said in a news conference on Friday. “We will see if he starts or not, we have not decided yet. But he can play, and he will play.”
Flick also confirmed that Gavi will start in place of the suspended Marc Casadó. The midfielder returned to action last month after a year on the sidelines with an ACL injury, but he is yet to complete 90 minutes.
“After such a long injury, it’s not so easy to come back,” Flick added when asked about Gavi’s condition. “He’s in a good way, we can say 100% fit, no doubts about that.
“He’s a young player, he also has the potential to increase the level of course. But he’s doing good. What I can say, maybe you will be happy for this information, he will play.”
The situation surrounding Frenkie de Jong is not so clear. Like Gavi, he came back from a long injury layoff in October but his return to action has not gone so smoothly.
The Dutch midfielder has played just 17 minutes across Barça’s last two games and Flick said the club will do all they can to help him recover his confidence.
“Now he has to get back the confidence he needs,” Flick said. “We have to give this. I know it’s important for him also to play.
“We want to play with the best team we can give at the moment. This is maybe why he has not the minutes maybe he wants; that we want. He will come back, definitely, I am 100% sure, but it takes time.
“At the end, in the midfield we have a lot of really good players. I have to decide. When we can give him minutes, we will give it, but also in the training he has to show us and increase the level. But he’s in a good way and we will help him. It’s our job.”
Barça go into Saturday’s game against Las Palmas at the Olympic Stadium with a four point lead at the top of LaLiga. Second-placed Real Madrid, who have a game in hand, are in action against Getafe on Sunday.
