Barcelona heavyweight continues recovery even as Flick cancels training after Chelsea loss | OneFootball

FC Barcelona were handed a reality check in the UEFA Champions League last night as they suffered a 3-0 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

It was a game where the reigning La Liga champions were outplayed from the get-go, with Ronald Araujo’s sending-off only making it harder.

The result leaves Barcelona with very slim chances of securing a top-eight finish, meaning they will likely have to go through the playoff rounds to qualify for the knockout stages.

Change of plans for Barcelona

Now, according to SPORT, Barcelona altered their plan for Wednesday to give their footballers a break.

Hansi Flick’s team had a training session set for 1 pm at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, but the coaching staff decided to cancel it to favour the squad’s physical recovery.

The decision had a clear reason: the lack of rest following the trip from London. The squad landed in Barcelona at around 4.30 am after the match against Chelsea, which left the players with very few hours of sleep.

Faced with this scenario, the club understood that forcing a training session only a few hours later would have been counterproductive, especially during a week with a tight schedule.

Pedri does not stop

Still working on returning to full fitness. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Despite the cancellation of the collective session, several players still went to the facilities for recovery treatment, physiotherapy and specific low-intensity work.

Among them was Pedri, who continues with his individual plan. The Spanish midfielder, who was not included in the squad to face Chelsea, has kept training alone, as he has done in recent days, with the aim of overcoming his discomfort and regaining his rhythm.

Barcelona are now focused on their next league match, which will take place this Saturday against Alaves. The main uncertainty ahead of the game is Pedri.

The coaching staff will follow his progress closely to determine whether he can return to the squad list. Managing his physical condition will be key, since Barcelona do not want to take unnecessary risks with one of their most important midfielders.

With only two days ahead, the team is expected to resume training on Friday, a session that will be decisive for assessing the general condition of the group and finalising details before the next challenge.