Xavi gives Barcelona’s World Cup returnees additional two days rest – report

With just two Barcelona first-team members remaining at the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, the remaining 15 were reported to start rejoining the training at the club’s Ciutat Esportiva complex over the coming week starting today.

Indeed, reports had indicated that Andreas Christensen and Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who were eliminated from the group stage, were set to rejoin training today while Robert Lewandowski was expected back on Wednesday and the Spanish contingent on December 16.

However, according to AS, manager Xavi Hernandez has decided to give all the World Cup returnees an additional two days off.

As a result, both Christensen and ter Stegen will now return to training with the rest of the group on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Lewandowski will rejoin the camp on Friday.

The eight players from the Spain squad – Sergio Busquets, Eric Garcia, Jordi Alba, Pedri, Gavi, Alejandro Balde, Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati – are now expected to return to the club’s training facilities next Monday, December 19.

And the players who made it to the quarter-finals – Frenkie de Jong, Memphis Depay and Raphinha, will rejoin Xavi and the rest of the team on December 21.

Ousmane Dembele and Jules Kounde, who are in the semi-finals of the World Cup, were expected to report back on December 26.

But they could also be given a couple of days extra rest by the manager, which could put their involvement in the derby against Espanyol in doubt.

Xavi wants all his players returning from the World Cup to have approximately ten days’ worth of rest before they can rejoin training and get ready for the resumption of the campaign.

Barcelona face RCD Espanyol on December 31 in their first match back. With Real Madrid just two points behind them, the Blaugrana cannot afford any slip-ups.