Barça bets on Yamal’s return to steady the ship before the clásico showdown
16 October 2025
Yamal’s return could spark Barça’s revival before the Girona derby
Barcelona, battered by injuries, is counting on starlet Lamine Yamal to regain full fitness in time to face nearby rivals Girona on Saturday, in the eighth round of La Liga, delivering a much-needed morale boost as they seek balance after a painful setback and eye the upcoming clásico.
The side endured a humbling 4-1 loss to Sevilla before the international break, which cost them top spot to their arch-rivals Real Madrid. They now must regroup and retool ahead of their clash with the reigning champions on October 26.
Midfielder Pedri Gonzalez stated that Barça’s performance in Seville was the worst under coach Hansi Flick, and since then injuries to veteran striker Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo have compounded the squad’s woes.
The club confirmed Yamal and Fermín López have returned to training this week and are expected to be available for Girona, while Brazilian Rafinha is also nearing a comeback.
Yamal missed the heavy defeat in Andalusia and has sat out Barça’s last two national-team fixtures due to a thigh problem, but is anticipated to feature in the derby against Girona.
Upcoming the team will host Olympiakos in a Champions League group-stage match on Tuesday before the clásico, adding to the busy schedule and testing the depth of Flick’s squad, which remains limited by injuries to goalkeeper Juan García and midfielder Gavi, delaying any rotation plans.
Barça’s coach has cautioned against letting the setback dampen spirits, praising the team’s second-half display after a poor first half and insisting: “It’s one game, we lost it, we must keep working.”
The defeat to Sevilla followed a season-starting win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, which left Barça two points behind leaders Real Madrid. Earlier setbacks, including a draw with Rayo Vallecano in August, prompted Flick to challenge his players not to overreact to wins, urging focus on collective improvement rather than individual bravado.
With Yamal’s potential return, Barça hopes to regain momentum during a demanding spell that also features a home clash with Girona, a team sitting in 18th place in the table, as they aim to return to winning ways on Montjuïc’s renovated pitch rather than on the Camp Nou’s delayed opener.
Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who renewed his contract through 2029, expressed eagerness to return to the Camp Nou amid a cautious timetable, while Barça’s prospects for the season hinge on avoiding a repeat of last autumn and winter’s stumble that briefly allowed Atlético Madrid to overtake them at the top.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid are gearing up for a derby visit to Getafe on Sunday, hoping to maintain their momentum and keep the pressure on Barça’s rivals.Mbappe’s status at PSG remains a talking point as Real Madrid’s rivals monitor the French international’s fitness, with Mbappe having suffered an ankle issue in their latest league game and seeing it re-emerge during France duty, keeping him uncertain for upcoming fixtures.
The weekend schedule unfolds with Friday’s Real Oviedo vs Espanyol opener, followed by a Saturday slate that includes Villarreal vs Real Betis, Atletico Madrid vs Osasuna, and Sevilla vs Mallorca. Sunday features Elche vs Athletic Bilbao, Celta Vigo vs Real Sociedad, and Levante vs Rayo Vallecano, with Deportivo Alavés vs Valencia closing the round on Monday.
Punchline punch-in: If patience were a sniper rifle, Barça would finally hit the target this season—the trouble is the target keeps moving. Punchline punch-in 2: With this injury list, their trainer’s notes look longer than the matchday program and somehow still more fun to read.
