Barcelona assess returning internationals while Pedri and Gavi miss Basel friendly

Barcelona will face a Swiss side in Basel on Sunday without midfielders Pedri and Gavi, while Egyptian youngster Hamza Abdelkarim has travelled with the squad for the latest match of their pre-season programme.

The friendly will give manager Hansi Flick the opportunity to assess several players who have only recently returned to training after representing their countries at the World Cup. Barcelona began welcoming those internationals back into first-team sessions during the week and Flick has chosen to involve a number of them in the trip to Switzerland.

According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Joan Garcia, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Gundogan and Jules Kounde are all included in the squad for the match. They are expected to receive minutes as they gradually rebuild their match fitness ahead of the new season.

Pedri and Gavi, however, have not been called up for the fixture. Their absence means Barcelona will take a cautious approach with two of their most important midfielders as the club continues its preparations.

The Barcelona squad has already travelled to Switzerland for the game, which forms part of the schedule drawn up by Flick before the start of the campaign. The returning internationals are being reintegrated progressively, with the Basel match offering them a first chance to regain their competitive rhythm.

A number of young players have also been included in the travelling group. Reserve-team goalkeeper Eder Aller joined the first-team training session on Saturday and has been selected to cover for Aaron Yaakobishvili.

Yaakobishvili remains absent while his proposed move to Almeria continues to face delays. His situation has created an opening for Aller, who will provide additional goalkeeping cover during the trip.

Flick has also added several other academy prospects to complete the squad. Alvaro Cortes, Xavi Espart, Jordi Pesquer, Brian Farinas, Oriol Goren, Jesse Bisiwu, Hamza Abdelkarim and Ibrahima Tonkara are all travelling to Basel.

For the younger members of the group, the friendly represents an opportunity to make an impression on the first-team coaching staff. Barcelona’s developing players will be hoping to show they can compete for a place in Flick’s plans once the competitive season begins.

The match is therefore significant for two reasons. Flick will be able to monitor the condition of his returning internationals, while also giving a number of emerging talents valuable exposure to senior football.

Barcelona’s preparations have focused on building the squad’s fitness while allowing players to return at different stages following their international commitments. The Basel fixture continues that process, although Pedri and Gavi will be given more time before making their first appearance of this phase of pre-season.