The relief Barcelona desperately needed

After the heavy defeat to Chelsea, Hansi Flick tried to project calm. He spoke of “good feelings” thanks to the team’s intensity in training and, especially, because key reinforcements were finally on the horizon. And among those names, one stands above the rest in his tactical blueprint: Pedri.

The midfielder completed part of Wednesday’s training session with the group, testing himself physically after weeks on the sidelines. Early signs are encouraging. The coaching staff will monitor his progress over the next two sessions with a clear goal in mind: to clear him on Saturday so he can play around 15 minutes against Alavés.

A long-awaited and accelerated return

Pedri suffered a tear in the femoral biceps of his left leg on October 26 during El Clásico. The initial prognosis called for roughly six weeks out. If he does return this weekend, he will have trimmed that timeline by ten days — a huge relief for a Barcelona side urgently in need of control, creativity and leadership in midfield.

The return of the No. 8 would allow Flick to reorganize the pieces: pair Frenkie de Jong with Fermín, send Eric García back to defensive duties, and, above all, recover the player who gives coherence to the entire system. Pedri isn’t just another midfielder — he dictates tempo, structures play, and makes the whole team breathe.

Raphinha targeting a starting spot

Another major boost for the German coach is Raphinha, who is expected to return to the starting XI against Alavés after getting minutes against Athletic (10) and Chelsea (30). His presence is vital not only for his attacking output, but also for his ability to press high and provide defensive balance.

Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres have performed well on the wing, but neither offers the mix of versatility, intensity and tactical reading that the Brazilian brings — traits Barça have missed badly during this stretch.

A Barça in need of a reaction

Between injuries, tactical doubts and inconsistent results, Barcelona have drifted into dangerous territory: two defeats and a draw in five Champions League matches have left them stuck in a tight spot, and in LaLiga the margin for error is nearly gone.

With Pedri, Raphinha and the return of Joan García in goal, Flick will finally have more tools to rebuild a team in desperate need of an emotional spark.

Saturday could be the beginning of the turnaround — and it all starts with the return of the player Barcelona have missed the most in recent weeks.