Robert Lewandowski recovered an injury to the hamstrings and was included in the Barcelona team for the semi-final of the Champions League on Tuesday against Inter Milan.
Lewandowski, 36, missed the last four games of Barça with the problem, including the final victory of Copa del Rey against Real Madrid and the first leg against Inter, but returned to training this weekend.
The Polish striker, who scored 40 goals this season, was then included in the Barça team for this week’s match in San Siro.
However, the left back Alejandro Balde has not recovered in time and will not appear against Inter.
The defender injured in the hamstrings on April 12 and there was initially the hope that he would come back for the match against the series A Champions, but he will now focus on being ready for the Laliga on Sunday Classic Against Real Madrid instead.
Speaking later Tuesday, Barça coach Hansi Flick said Lewandowski would start the match on the bench.
“Everything happens in the right way,” said Flick at a press conference concerning the physical form of Lewandowski. “It is good, much better than what we expected. He is ready for the bench. When we need him, he may come in.”
Flick also called on his players to go out and enjoy the occasion against Inter, reminding people that nobody expected that Barça was in this position at the start of the season, fighting for a triple and echoing the comments of the Dani Olmo midfielder that the atmosphere in the locker room is “like a party”.
“Do you think I have to put pressure on [the players]? “Add Flick.” What do you think? When we started the season, no one had any idea what we have achieved so far. Now we are already gaining two titles [the Spanish Supercopa and the Copa del Rey].
“Now we have important weeks, important matches to win two more [LaLiga and the Champions League]. It’s a good thing.
“I want my team to appreciate it, take advantage of it. To show how much we can play as a team. To make the club and the fans proud. This is what Dani said. This is how we want to play, enjoy football.”
Despite this, Barça is aware of the challenge that awaits them against Inter. They dragged 2-0 and 3-2 at home last week and struggled to face the threat of the Simone Inzaghi team from games.
“The sets that we have to defend much better,” said Flick. “But we’re going to change certain things … what will you see.”
Barça will also be without its right back in Italy, with Jules Koundé absent with a problem of the hamstrings taken up during the first leg last week against Inter.
The game also arrives soon for Marc Casadó, who is now back in training, Pablo Torre and the long -term absent Marc Bernal. Goalkeeper Marc-André Ter Stegen is not registered to play in the Champions League.
The first stage of last week ended with a 3-3 draw at the Olympic stadium, leaving everything to play when the teams meet on Tuesday for a place in the final against Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal in Munich on May 31.
