Barcelona veteran makes a early comeback from injury

Barcelona veteran, Jordi Alba, was seen on Thursday in the training field at Barcelona. He was out of action for a while since he had a hamstring injury not that long ago but it seems like he has made a fast recovery and that he will feature in the game against Elche as well. The 32-year-old left-back has been a necessity for the Catalans for quite a long time now and although it is probably time to move him on and bring someone younger to the club, there are very few players who possess the kind of skills that are present within Alba.

Alba is one of the players who modernized the game of football and completely changed what a full-back was supposed to do. His ability to play in advanced positions while also maintaining his backline was what made him a star at Barca and in his prime he was an assist machine but could also defense like a rock. Now that he is older, his pace and physicality have fallen however, he remains one of the most important players for the club. He came down with the injury in the match against Bayern Munich and was left out in the draw against Osasuna.

His addition back to the team will be a big boost since he is one of the only few experienced players at Barca who can consistently make a difference. His leadership qualities should also help the Catalan’s ailing defense. Saturday’s match against Elche will be a must-win for Barca since they are now in the eighth position and have only won once in their last three league games. The league contenders have already run away too far for Barca to catch them now, however, they should still look to secure a UEFA Champions League finish and that is still doable since they are only five points behind fourth place.

What is your predicted scoreline for the match against Elche?