Barcelona have two players under the magnifying glass in the upcoming international break – Report | OneFootball

FC Barcelona secured an important 4-2 win over Celta Vigo on Sunday night at Balaidos, which helped them close the gap to Real Madrid to three points following their 0-0 draw against Rayo Vallecano.

Now, the November international break is upon us. It is the last one of the year and Barcelona have as many as 11 players who will join their national teams. Injuries are always a concern during such breaks.

According to SPORT, Barcelona have two players under the microscope during this upcoming international break. One is Lamine Yamal, whose inclusion has prompted a lot of chatter in recent days.

Lamine has been suffering discomfort stemming from a pubalgia injury, but he has continued to play through it for Barcelona. Luis de la Fuente feels he can do the same for his country, but the club is keen to see how his minutes are managed.

Spain are just one point away from World Cup qualification and can afford to give Lamine some rest. The other player the Catalan club is monitoring closely is Jules Kounde, who was rested against Celta Vigo.

The Frenchman was a doubt for the trip to the north-west of Spain but eventually made the squad list. However, he is said to be suffering from lingering discomfort, and his form has left a lot to be desired.

Beyond these two, Barcelona will be keen for all 11 players to return without any new physical issues. The last thing Hansi Flick wants is more injury trouble, and let us hope he has close to a full squad to work with when club football resumes.

A special mention to Marcelo Bielsa, who chose to rest Ronald Araujo, given Uruguay had already secured qualification for next year’s marquee event. Perhaps other international managers can take a page from his playbook on how to manage their players, keeping in mind the bigger picture.