Flick gives Barcelona players five days off

Barcelona manager Hans Flick has granted his players five days off during the international break to recharge ahead of a busy fixture schedule.

Sport reports that Flick concluded training on Tuesday with only 8 first-team players present. He called upon reserve players Alex Gonzalez and Max Bonfil. Training is set to resume on Monday, with international players gradually joining starting Tuesday.

The team is set to enjoy a break before a busy schedule that includes a match in Baku, a clash with Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, and Copa del Rey fixtures, with the team playing almost two matches every week.

Injured players will continue their recovery programs, with Jules Koundé and Dani Olmo expected to return against Villarreal after the break, while Xavi Espart and Rodri are anticipated to return later. Rony Bardji will need a longer period to recover from his knee injury.