Barcelona Receives Injury Boost as Key Midfielder Begins Individual Training

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca reported that Cole Palmer is recovering from a groin injury and may be available for the upcoming match against Brentford, though the club will manage his playing time carefully due to the demanding schedule including a Champions League match against Bayern Munich. Barcelona faces a challenging period with several key players, including Frenkie de Jong, Alejandro Balde, Gavi, and goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen sidelined due to injuries, compounded by the unavailability of their renovated Camp Nou stadium, which forces them to play home games at a smaller venue, Estadi Johan Cruyff. De Jong has recently begun light training, offering a significant boost for Barcelona manager Hansi Flick as the team struggles to defend their La Liga title. Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain will miss injured forwards Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué for at least four to six weeks, ruling them out of the critical Champions League clash against Barcelona, which adds to Barcelona's injury woes but also improves their odds against a weakened PSG. The ongoing injury issues for both clubs set the stage for a highly anticipated but unpredictable Champions League encounter, with Barcelona hoping to capitalize on PSG's absences despite their own fitness concerns. Barcelona's manager is also focusing on building the team around key players Joan Garcia, Eric Garcia, Pedri, and Lamine Yamal while managing the broader squad carefully amid these challenges.