Barcelona: Sergi Samper and Oriol Busquets receive medical clearance

The two players have finished their recoveries from injury in the midst of a busy period for Barcelona.

Barcelona face Girona next as they aim to continue their perfect start after six wins across three competitions. They have four games in the two weeks after the game on Sunday, so it’s a hectic schedule and the depth of the squad should be utilised by Ernesto Valverde.

Sergi Samper has been unlucky with injuries throughout his career because they always seem to come at untimely moments. Last season, he fractured his fibula and ruptured his ankle ligaments in January after working his way into the first team. He only returned from that in the summer but ended up having knee issues which disrupted his pre-season. His latest issue was a sprained ankle that ruled him out for the start of the season until now.

There is a place for him in the squad if he manages to stay injury-free because there is no dedicated rotation option for Sergio Busquets. Other players can fill in such as Sergi Roberto and Ivan Rakitic, but it isn’t a natural position for them. Samper has to prove his worth though because there is only a year left on his contract and Barcelona have Oriol Busquets ready to come through into the senior squad.

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The youngster has had a long injury lay-off of his own, which also came at the worst possible time because he was starting to impress with his consistency for the B team. He tore the meniscus in his right knee back in February, which needed to be reconstructed so it’s been a long recovery. The 19-year-old will be aiming to follow Carles Alena in earning promotion to the main squad over the next few months because Valverde has admitted previously that he is part of his plans.

Both players will be nervously eyeing the heavy interest in Frenkie De Jong because he is being mentioned as a long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets, so he will be in direct competition for a place with them. They need to impress this season if they want to have a long-term future at the club.

Their return is good news for Valverde, though, because it provides him with rotation options for Busquets, who has to stay fit if Barcelona are to be successful this season.