Barcelona midfielder rejoins group training, should be available for Espanyol match

Barcelona will resume their pursuit of the La Liga title in a little over two weeks when they lock horns with local rivals RCD Espanyol on December 31.

Heading into the World Cup break, the Blaugrana had taken a two-point lead over rivals Real Madrid and will need to ensure that they hit the ground running when the season resumes.

And, ahead of the match against Espanyol, Barça have been handed a fresh injury boost as Franck Kessie has returned to group training and is expected to be available for the encounter on December 31 at the RCDE Stadium. This claim comes from journalist Alex Pintanel.

Kessie, whose future at Camp Nou has been a topic of major discussion in recent weeks, had picked up an injury during Barcelona’s final UEFA Champions League group game against Viktoria Plzen.

With Ivory Coast not qualifying for the World Cup, the former AC Milan midfielder has had plenty of time to work on recuperating from his injury. And now, the report from Alex Pintanel insists that the 25-year-old is fit and back in training with the rest of the group.

Kessie joined Barcelona this past summer, arriving as a free agent after his AC Milan contract had expired. He has had a difficult time settling in at Camp Nou, given the intense competition for places in midfield and the new style and philosophy that he is yet to adjust to.

As a result, the Ivorian has struggled for game-time under Xavi this term, which sparked rumours about a potential exit in January.

However, it has been reported that Xavi has spoken to Kessie and assured that he will have a part to play in the remainder of the season.