Lamine Yamal and Balde return to Barcelona training after injuries

Xavi Hernández was able to kick off Barcelona's training session on Wednesday with some good news: Alejandro Balde and Lamine Yamal have already been able to train alongside their team-mates.

The Barça coach led a joint training session with Rafa Márquez and his Barça Atlètic players to complete the group, as the effects of the national team break are still being felt.

The two Portuguese internationals, Joao Cancelo and Joao Félix, did not take part in the session, as they were on leave after completing their duty with Roberto Martínez's squad. In addition, five other internationals, Ter Stegen, Gündogan, Christensen, Araujo and Fermín, whose national teams have been busy during the FIFA window, are still to return.

In any case, the fact that Balde and Lamine are already integrated back into training after recent injuries is great news for Xavi Hernández. The coach has every chance of being able to count on them against Athletic Club on Sunday or against Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday 25th; and they will almost certainly be at his disposal for the clásico against Real Madrid on the 28th.

Lamine Yamal was absent from Spain duty due to a problem in the psoas iliacus and it seems that the rest and specific work over the last few days has had an effect. In the case of Balde, he was replaced in the Spain-Scotland game due to abductor discomfort. Luis de la Fuente did not want to take any risks with the left-back either and did not take him to Norway.