Report: Ousmane Dembele In The Final Phase Of His Recovery, Could Return Against Athletic Club

Barcelona pulled off an impressive win over Real Madrid last night, getting a hard-fought 1-0 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu without three key players in Pedri, Robert Lewandowski, and Ousmane Dembele.

The trio missed the match due to injury, but Barça did not let that affect them and managed to pick up a win in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg.

Up next for the Blaugrana is a La Liga encounter against Valencia, and the trio is expected to miss that match as well.

But, according to Ferran Martinez of Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona could be in a position to recover Ousmane Dembele for the match against Athletic Club next week.

The 25-year-old winger picked up a thigh injury in a La Liga encounter against Girona in late January. It was his first-ever injury during the tenure of Xavi Hernandez as manager.

Dembele has since missed ten matches across all competitions for Barcelona due to the injury. But as per the report, the French international is in the final phase of his recovery and Xavi & co. are keeping a close eye on his condition.

Barcelona have been wary of taking any risk with Dembele’s recovery, but it is expected that the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner will resume training with the group next week.

The idea is for the winger to get some minutes in the La Liga clash against Athletic Club next week so that he can build up some rhythm and match fitness ahead of the Clasico against Real Madrid on March 19.

Prior to his injury, the winger had played 28 matches in all competitions, scoring eight goals and setting up seven more. Dembele had been one of Barcelona’s most influential players and his potential return next week will come as a huge boost for the team.