Barcelona teenage prodigy out of Copa del Rey tie vs Racing Santander due to discomfort | OneFootball

According to SPORT, Barcelona youngster Pedro ‘Dro’ Fernández did not train in the session prior to the match against Racing Santander and will not travel to Santander for the Copa del Rey tie.

The 18-year-old midfielder will be unavailable and will not join the squad after it was confirmed that he is carrying physical discomfort that prevents him from competing at full capacity.

The coaching staff have chosen not to take risks and, pending official confirmation, everything indicates that he will not be included in the matchday squad.

Dro’s absence represents a significant setback for Hansi Flick, as everything suggested that he could have been given minutes in tomorrow’s game in the Copa del Rey Round of 16.

In fact, the Spain Under-18 national team had released the La Masia graduate from the squad, aware of his discomfort. Although there was confidence that he would recover in time, this has ultimately not been the case.

Dro out of Copa del Rey clash. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Dro will now remain in Barcelona throughout the week and focus on a full recovery before returning to the group as soon as possible.

The objective is for him to be available again in the coming weeks and to resume his normal routine, putting behind him a physical issue that has arrived at the worst possible moment.

A key piece for the future

Barcelona have been working for some time on renewing Dro’s contract. The player is held in very high regard internally due to his projection and performances.

The teenager has made a strong impression on Flick since pre-season, with the coach satisfied by his attitude and his fit within the playing model.

With Dro turning 18 years old earlier this month, Barcelona plan to follow the same strategy that they did with Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi and tie down the academy ace to a new long-term contract at the earliest possible.