Barcelona set to return to training ahead of Napoli clash

Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images

The Champions League is on the horizon

FC Barcelona players (apart from Arthur) have returned from their short vacations and are ready to start training ahead of their highly anticipated match against Napoli in the UEFA Champions League. While the game is more than a week away, the Catalans have returned from their six days off to focus on preparing to meet the Italian side.

Training starts tomorrow, as Quique Setién seeks to prepare the team for a tricky second leg. The blaugrana bring back a 1-1 draw from Italy, from before the coronavirus break. Now, the squad hopes to redeem a disappointing season by winning the UEFA Champions League, or at least, giving a solid account of themselves in the competition.

Setién will be without Arturo Vidal and Sergio Busquets through suspension, and Arthur looks, let’s say, highly unlikely to be an option in midfield as well.

Also, several players are dealing with fitness issues, and the issue is particularly pronounced in defense where Samuel Umtiti has no set return date and Ronald Araújo recently limped off for Barcelona B. Clément Lenglet has been dealing with a nagging injury lately but it’s expected he’ll be fit just in time.

Setién will be hoping his team uses the next 11 days to get into tip-top shape in order to progress past Napoli and into the “final eight” of the Champions League in Lisbon.

There, they would face either Bayern Munich or Chelsea (probably the Germans, as they carry a 3-0 first leg advantage) in a single-game elimination format. Should they win, they could play two more games - the semifinal and final - to lift the trophy. But before any of that, the team needs to get past Napoli.

Source: barcablaugranes.com