Barcelona receive injury boost as 24-year-old star back in contention to feature against Elche | OneFootball

Barcelona have received another major boost ahead of their La Liga clash against Elche, as Mundo Deportivo reports that goalkeeper Joan Garcia’s return is not being ruled out. 

The summer signing from Espanyol, who suffered a tear in the internal meniscus of his left knee during a match against Real Oviedo in September, is showing faster-than-expected recovery progress, giving the club renewed optimism about his comeback.

Garcia underwent surgery on September 27, with an estimated recovery time of four to six weeks. 

However, the goalkeeper has made remarkable progress in his rehabilitation, and his condition will be reassessed once the team returns to training on Wednesday. 

Although Barcelona are unlikely to take unnecessary risks, his availability for the Elche fixture is not completely ruled out, which is a positive sign for Hansi Flick and his staff.

More reasons to be optimistic

Interestingly, Garcia’s injury occurred in the final moments of the clash against Oviedo, ruling him out of action for nearly a month. 

Joan Garcia could return against Elche. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Now, his imminent return to group training suggests he is on the verge of rejoining full team sessions, a development that strengthens Barcelona’s goalkeeping options in the coming weeks.

In more positive news, Andreas Christensen is also expected to return for Sunday’s match against Elche, after missing the last two games due to a gastrointestinal issue. 

The defender’s return comes at a crucial moment, as Barcelona aim to regain defensive stability following their El Clasico setback.

Meanwhile, Dani Olmo remains sidelined, continuing his individual recovery programme. 

The club remains hopeful that the midfielder can soon rejoin the group, following in the footsteps of Robert Lewandowski, who trained with the squad earlier today after recovering from a muscle tear.