The Ballon d’Or should be left in the past. Life goes on, and at FC Barcelona, after attending the gala, all attention is now focused on upcoming matches where their star player, Lamine Yamal, is expected to return to the pitch after missing two games.

Lamine Yamal Takes a Step Forward

According to the newspaper Sport, this Tuesday, just one day after finishing second in the Ballon d’Or voting, Lamine Yamal took a significant step forward by stepping onto the grass for the first time since his injury. The young player has been training separately from his teammates, working with the ball after more than a week of solo gym sessions.

As the report indicates, the outlook for the 18-year-old footballer, who won the Kopa Trophy, is positive, and his recovery is progressing well. Unfortunately, he is not expected to be included in the squad for the match against Oviedo. The coaching staff’s goal is for him to at least be able to participate or travel for the game against Real Sociedad.

All eyes are on the upcoming Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain, a match that will bring together the top two finishers of the Ballon d’Or.

How Is Lamine Yamal Doing After Missing Out on the Ballon d’Or?

It must be tough for a footballer to come so close to winning the prestigious football award only to finish second. You only had to see Lamine Yamal’s expression when Ousmane Dembélé’s name was announced. But the good news is that he’s back to compete, and he’ll soon be available for Hansi Flick.

Balde Returns to Barça and Targets PSG

FC Barcelona’s defense has had a rocky start to the season. At the end of the transfer window, Íñigo Martínez unexpectedly moved to Saudi Arabia, leaving Hansi Flick without one of his center-backs. Just a few days later, on September 3, Alejandro Balde suffered an injury during training, and last week, Pau Cubarsí took a knock against Newcastle.

The left-back suffered a minor injury to the biceps femoris in his left leg, a delicate area given his history of muscle issues. For this reason, Barcelona has opted for maximum caution in setting his return timeline.

However, the news is positive: this Tuesday, Balde rejoined group training for the first time since his injury. While he’s not yet ready to travel to Oviedo or play against Real Sociedad, his recovery is progressing very favorably. It’s been three weeks since his injury, with the expected recovery time being between three and four weeks. The date circled in red is October 1, when Barça will face PSG in the Champions League.

Cubarsí Also Improving

In the case of Cubarsí, who suffered a knee knock against Newcastle, he has been training cautiously and did not feature in the recent 3-0 victory over Getafe. However, he has now rejoined the group, and all signs point to him being available for the match against Oviedo.