Balde returns to training with Barca and targets the 'Clasico'

Barcelona's first training session after being knocked out of the Champions League final against Inter Milan brought sad faces, but there was also some good news: Alejandro Balde was integrated as one of his teammates in part of the session, so he will be at Hansi Flick's disposal for Sunday's ‘Clasico’ against Real Madrid.

The German's big doubt for the decisive game will be dispelled in the next few days, as the left-back will have three more days to get ready to return to the starting line-up. It will depend on them whether he can be included in the starting line-up or if he will have minutes in the second half. 

Balde was injured with a distal biceps femoris injury in his left thigh on 12 April against Leganes (0-1). Since then, he missed the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund, the league games against Celta, Mallorca, and Real Valladolid as well as the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid.

The 21-year-old defender was working intensively with the idea of at least making it to the second leg of the semi-final against Inter Milan, but he was not forced. The training session consisted of recovery and compensation for the available first team players. Hansi Flick's team will return to training this Friday at the sports complex, located in Sant Joan Despí (Barcelona), behind closed doors.