Barcelona return to action on Monday in La Liga against Real Valladolid after the international break and will be hoping to maintain the superb form they have shown in 2021 which has helped rekindle their title hopes.
Ronald Koeman will also be boosted by the return from injury of some key players. Ronald Araujo is fit again, Gerard Pique isn’t too far away, and Sergi Roberto is expected to be ready for Monday’s match.
Yet the return to fitness of the three defenders will also give Koeman something of a selection headache. The Dutchman has used midfielder Frenkie de Jong as one of his three center-backs in recent games, but the 23-year-old can now revert back to his more preferred position.