Getty Ansu Fati is close to a return to action.
Barcelona striker Ansu Fati has broken his silence on his recovery from injury as the 19-year-old Spain international closes in on a return to first-team action after three months on the sidelines.
The teenager has been out with a hamstring injury but is back in full training with the first team and close to a return to action. Fati says his latest lay-off has been tough to handle but he is hoping to make his comeback soon, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.
“I’m working, I hope that soon I’ll be able to be with the team. I don’t know when I’ll be back, I’ll see day by day and depending on the sensations, I’ll decide with the coach and the trainers. Little by little,” he said. “The last relapse was a hard moment, the club supported me at all times and I have been very calm because they have been by my side. Getting injured is the worst, but you always have to look forward.”
Fati has been plagued by injuries since breaking into the Barcelona first team in dramatic style in 2019. The injury problems mean Fati has only managed 10 appearances in all competitions in 2021-22, although he has still been able to score five times.
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Fati Talks Barcelona Coach Xavi
Much has changed at Barcelona since Fati last played for the club. The Catalans have dramatically improved under new coach Xavi Hernandez and are currently second in the table in Spain and into the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
Fati was asked about the club’s new coach and was happy to offer his thoughts on Xavi. “The change of coach has been very good for us,” he said. “The players have a more hard-working mentality.”
Xavi has also brought in attackers such as Ferran Torres, Adama Traore, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as well as managing to coax the best form out of Ousmane Dembele. The Frenchman is now joint-top of the assists charts in La Liga with 11.
All of which means that Fati will have to fight hard for a place in the starting XI when he does return, but the youngster is not afraid of the competition. Indeed Fati knows it will never be easy to get minutes, “because this is Barça and the best play here.”
When Could Fati Return?
Fati is now in the final stages of his recovery and could receive the green light to return imminently, according to Diario Sport. The youngster could be included in the squad for Barca’s next game which is a Europa League quarter-final second leg against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Yet giving Fati a run-out in such a demanding game after such a lengthy time off is unlikely to be a gamble Xavi deems worth taking. Instead it seems that Barcelona’s La Liga fixture against Cadiz on Monday, April 18th is a more realistic date for Fati’s return.
Fati’s return will be warmly welcomed by players, staff, and supporters at the Camp Nou. The Catalans have enjoyed a superb 2022 so far and are unbeaten in 15 games, but the return of one of their brightest talents would provide yet another boost.
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