Barcelona prodigy inching closer to full recovery from injury

During a chat with fans on The Residency (h/t SPORT), Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde has confirmed that he is very close to making a full recovery from his injury.

Balde, 20, suffered a thigh injury during Barça’s Copa del Rey clash against Athletic Club back in January earlier this year.

The serious nature of the injury meant that the La Masia graduate had to undergo surgery, ruling him out of action for the remainder of the season.

Balde’s injury meant that he not only missed the second half of the last campaign but was also excluded from Spain’s UEFA Euro 2024 squad and the Olympics roster.

Closing in on a return

The young left-back has been working hard on his recovery and has recently begun doing individual work on the grass.

The aim has been for Balde to make a full recovery in time for the pre-season under new manager Hansi Flick, which starts on July 10.

And, it appears that things are on track as Balde confirmed that he is getting better with each passing day.

“Well, I feel better every day from my injury,” said Balde when quizzed by a fan about his fitness.

Important role next season

This is a positive development considering that some reports had suggested that the youngster might not be ready in time for pre-season.

Balde signed a new contract with Barcelona last year and was handed the No. 3 shirt by the club. With Jordi Alba leaving, the 20-year-old had become the first-choice left-back at the Catalan outfit and will continue to do so once he returns from injury.

Balde is expected to have an important role in the team under new manager Hansi Flick, with the expectation being that the German tactician helps the academy ace take his game to the next level like he did with Alphonso Davies at Bayern Munich.

Barça, for their part, are believed to have successfully registered his new contract with La Liga, along with Fermin Lopez, and the youngster will be raring to get back on the field.