Getty Ansu Fati and Barcelona president Joan Laporta
Barcelona has been handed a big boost ahead of the new 2021-22 La Liga season with teenage forward Ansu Fati expected to return in time for the first game of the new campaign.
The talented teenager has not featured since November 2020 because of a serious knee injury that saw the youngster go under the knife. Setbacks in his recovery meant Fati required another operation in May 2021.
However, the youngster’s recovery from his latest operation has gone well and he is expected back for pre-season training on July 12, according to Luis F. Rojo at Marca.
The club’s doctors have given Fati the go-ahead to link up with his team-mates once again and prepare for the new campaign. Barca will be careful with Fati and plan for him to train alone initially “until he gradually gets back to a good pace.”
Barcelona hope Fati will be able to take part in some of the team’s pre-season friendlies “with the view to being in the squad” for the Catalans’ first game of the new campaign at home to Real Sociedad on August 14-15.
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When Could Barca Fans See Fati Back in Action?
Fans will be eager to see Fati back in action after the forward was forced to miss almost the entirety of the 2020-21 campaign through injury. The teenager only managed 10 appearances in all competitions before his season was ended prematurely.
Barca has already announced two pre-season friendlies for later this month which will be played at the Estadi Johan Cruyff. The first is against Gimnàstic Tarragona on July 21 before a visit from Girona three days later.
The Catalans will also play the traditional Joan Gamper Trophy match before the start of the new season, although the club’s plans for the traditional curtain-raiser are yet to be announced.
Barcelona’s pre-season matches will be complicated by a host of players being involved in Euro 2020 and the Copa America this summer which don’t end until July 10 and 12. The Olympics may also complicate plans with Oscar Mingueza, Pedri, and Eric Garcia already named in the Spain squad for the tournament.
Barcelona Handed Tricky Start To New Season
Yet manager Ronald Koeman will want his team to hit the ground running in 2021-22, particularly after enduring a difficut start last season in what was his first campaign in charge of the Catalans, as shown by Opta.
14 – Barcelona have earned just 14 points in their opening 10 LaLiga games this season, their lowest tally at this stage since 1987/88 season (13, three points per win), the previous campaign to Johan Cruyff arrival Barcelona as manager. History.
The Dutchman’s role as coach came under scrutiny at the end of last season too, after Barca’s title hopes faded, and another slow start could pile more pressure on the 58-year-old.
Barca has some tricky fixtures to negotiate in the early weeks of the season. Basque rivals Real Sociedad and Athletic are up first, while Koeman’s side then go on to face Getafe, Sevilla, and Granada.
The Dutchman will also be without some key players due to injury. Ousmane Dembele has been ruled out for four months after undergoing surgery, and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen faces a race to be fit in time after receiving treatment on a knee problem.
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