Flick will not take risks with injured Barcelona star by rushing him for Inter Milan clash | OneFootball

After a deserved day off following their Copa del Rey victory against Real Madrid in extra time, FC Barcelona returned to training this morning.

There is no time to dwell on the past, and the squad is now preparing for the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan on Wednesday at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Montjuic.

Hansi Flick oversaw the penultimate training session before facing the Italian side. The final session will take place on Tuesday morning, followed by the pre-match press conference.

Balde will not be rushed back

Leading up to the match, SPORT now reports that following a meeting this morning between Flick and Alejandro Balde, a decision has been made not to rush the left-back’s return to group training.

The defender, recovering from an injury he sustained recently, continues to work separately, and his chances of featuring against Inter this week appear minimal.

Balde will not be risked. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

However, there is a possibility that he could get some minutes against Real Valladolid in La Liga this weekend, with a view to gaining match fitness ahead of the second leg against the Italians.

It is worth remembering that the La Masia graduate was injured at Butarque on 12 April, with medical tests confirming a distal injury to the biceps femoris of his left leg.

Since then, Gerard Martin has filled in at left-back, playing against Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of the quarter-finals and Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final. Against Mallorca, Flick had opted for Hector Fort in the position.

Everything suggests that Martin will continue to be Flick’s choice to cover the left-back position for the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan.