This week on the training ground we will be welcoming back a couple of players who are returning from injury. Left back Balde, who underwent tendon surgery in January, is close to being back in full training shape. Dutch midfielder De Jong, who missed this year's Euros due to a knee problem, and Barcelona are cautious about his recovery process. Gavi, who suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament last November, is still months away from recovery.
Although the first-team squad currently consists of just nine players, the top clubs often select promising young players to join them and give them experience of first-team training and pre-season tours. This summer, these young talents will gain valuable experience at the La Masia youth academy, and Barcelona will also travel to the United States for pre-season matches. They include 18-year-old U.S. goalkeeper Diego Kochin, defender Hector Forte (17), German organizational heartthrob Noah Darwicky (17), midfielders Marco Bernal (17), Marc Casado (20) and Alex Garrido (20), among others.
These players showed exceptional talent in Barcelona's reserve team games last season. The head coach of the reserve team, Rafael Marquez, was a legendary player in Mexico and Barcelona. Although they usually have a long vacation in the summer, now they need to fill the gaps in their first team staff.
Not all Barcelona players representing the national team have come with good news. Injuries to Pedri and Araujo could see them miss the start of the new season. Poland and Denmark's early exits from the Europa League at least mean that Levan and Christensen will be able to rejoin the team when it departs for the U.S. on July 28th.
Other players may need more rest. Gündoğan was finally set for 66 games in the Europa League quarterfinals, while 16-year-old Yamal may need a longer vacation to recover.
Barcelona defenders Cubasi and Erick Garcia will represent Spain in the men's Olympic soccer tournament on July 24 in Paris. Fermín was also included in the Spanish men's soccer team for the Olympics, although he participated in the Europa League. Spain is one of the favorites to reach the Aug. 9 Olympic men's soccer final at Parc des Princes.
Players such as Longley, Fathi, Romeu and Torre still have a chance to impress under Flick and stay in the first team. Martinez and Roque know that some teammates may need to be sacrificed if they want to stay. Barcelona are open to players such as De Jong, Torres and Rafinha, who will return to the squad in the coming weeks.
Felix and Cancelo, who Barcelona still see as part of the squad despite their leases ending last month. Frick cannot expect these players to complete their transfers late in the transfer window and Atletico have informed TA that Felix will be in the Spanish capital at the end of July for the team's pre-season tournament.
For many Barcelona players, this is not a new problem: Barcelona's financial problems have made it difficult for them to register new players for three consecutive summers. Although the players know that the future is still full of unknowns, they can only accept the reality. A new coach may bring new opportunities, but their preference remains for most of the players reported this week to stay at Barcelona.
Barcelona's first match of the U.S. tour will be against Manchester City on July 30 in Orlando, Florida. They will then travel to New Jersey to face Real Madrid before heading to the Baltimore Tote to take on AC Milan on August 6th.
Frick's first official match in Catalonia could be the Gamba Cup on August 11 at the Olympic Stadium in Mozuzi. One of the reasons for Xavi's sacking was the team's lack of physical preparation, something Laporta said Fricke had improved on last season.
Barcelona usually played a 4-3-3 formation during Xavi's reign, while Frick favored a 4-2-3-1 formation. Frick attaches great importance to the opening game of the new La Liga season against Valencia on August 17, but for different reasons he could lose four important midfielders in that game in Gavi, Pedri, Firmin and De Jong, and maybe even last season's captain Roberto.
According to the information available, Barcelona's final lineup for the new season will not be finalized until the transfer window closes. Frick is well aware of the problems of the team, but he is still eager to seize this opportunity to meet greater challenges on the training ground.
