Barcelona 18-year-old starlet closing in on return after two months out injured | OneFootball

Earlier in the season, FC Barcelona manager Hansi Flick had been including youngster Xavi Espart in matchday squads on a regular basis.

A versatile player, the 18-year-old La Masia talent is a modern full-back, capable of operating both inside and outside and offering great attacking intent, while he can also fill in as a defensive midfielder.

However, Espart saw his progress this season halted by an injury to the medial collateral ligament in his right knee back in November when he was away with the Spain U-19 team.

Espart’s return edging closer

According to SPORT, Espart’s recovery has gone according to plan, and the young right-back is close to making a full return.

Indeed, there have been no setbacks in his rehabilitation, and the teenager returned to training this week with Barça Atletic.

For now, he is training partially on an individual basis, but the idea is that by next week, he will be ready to be included in Juliano Belletti’s squad.

Espart (L) closing in on a return. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

As mentioned earlier, Espart spent most of the first part of the season under Flick with the first team and was included in several first-team matchday squads.

He did not make his official debut, but he was one of the regular names called up by the German coach.

At the same time, he played six games for Barça Atletic in the Segunda RFEF, scoring and assisting a goal apiece. He also played twice for the Juvenil A team in the UEFA Youth League, netting twice.

With his return inching closer, it remains to be seen whether Flick continues to call him up to the first-team squad, considering that Barcelona have added a new right-back in January in Joao Cancelo.

But Espart’s imminent comeback will be a major boost for Belletti as he hopes to lead Barça Atletic to promotion.