Barcelona receive boost as Eric Garcia and Andreas Christensen near Atletico Madrid return

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has been handed a potential defensive boost, with Eric Garcia and Andreas Christensen returning to part of first-team training before Sunday’s La Liga meeting with Atletico Madrid.

The pair took part in a section of Friday’s group session, according to Spanish newspaper AS. They could receive medical clearance on Sunday and be included in the squad for the match, provided they suffer no setback.

However, neither player is expected to be ready to start against Atletico Madrid, with their likely involvement limited to a place on the substitutes’ bench.

The developments offer welcome news for Flick, whose defensive options have been severely reduced by a series of injuries in recent weeks. Barcelona face Atletico Madrid on 08 November 2026 with top spot in La Liga at stake.

Garcia appears the more likely of the two players to contribute, having recovered from a rectus femoris injury that kept him out for three weeks. Christensen has been sidelined for a month and a half because of a groin injury.

Barcelona will still be without Jules Kounde, who continues to experience problems with his left ankle. Initial assessments suggested the France defender would miss one week, and there had been hope he could return for the clasico.

Instead, Kounde has now been absent for three weeks and remains unavailable for the visit of Atletico Madrid.

As a result, Flick is expected to begin with the makeshift defence that has been used by Barcelona during the past few weeks. Bryan Farinas is set to operate at right-back, with Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin in central defence and Joao Cancelo at left-back.

Garcia and Christensen are likely to remain among the substitutes, giving Flick the option of introducing either player if required during the match.

The potential returns come at an important moment for Barcelona, who must deal with their continuing defensive shortage while attempting to protect their position at the top of the Spanish league.