Xavi recovers Umtiti and Lenglet: he already ‘only’ has 16 casualties for Mallorca

Xavi Hernández has every reason to complain bitterly about the draconian demand that LaLiga president Javier Tebas has imposed to prevent suspensions and postponements of matches during the next few days due to the pandemic. And it is that the call that the Blaugrana coach has presented for the game this Sunday against Mallorca is simply insane, with a total of eleven players from the first team and eight from the reserve team, but what is even more serious: with two goalkeepers from the first team (Ter Stegen and Neto), so there are only nine outfield players, with the aggravating factor that six are defenders (Eric , Piqué, Araújo, Mingueza, Lenglet and Umtiti), having only two midfielders (Frenkie and Riqui Puig) and a forward (Luuk).

Also having the luck that two positives this week they have been able to join at the last minute: the Umtiti and Lenglet plants. The first one was even able to exercise today with the team, while the second received in the afternoon the news that he had tested negative in the last PCR and that it could be incorporated into the convocation, having also completed the seven days of confinement.

Xavi has had to get hold of a total of eight kids from the subsidiary to be able to complete a list. Some, it is true, like Nico, are considered as first team players at all levels, but others, like Mármol, Guillem or Lucas, would be their official debut with the first team.

And it is that in total Xavi has 16 casualties, between positive, sanctioned and injured. In addition, to this long list, the Austrian Demir must be added, who has had permission from the club since the Christmas break to look for a club when his loan is considered finalized.

Thus, the list of absences for Sunday’s game is as follows: nine positives (Alba, Coutinho, Dest, Gavi, Balde, Alves, Abde and Dembélé), one more due to sanction (Busquets) -there are two, but Gavi either could play for positive-, plus six injured, since he does not recover neither Pedri nor Ansu Fati, as well as Memphis, Sergi Roberto, Braithwaite, Ferran Torres and Dest, although the latter two could not play either, one not being registered and the other being positive.

In any case, this call cannot yet be considered final: this Sunday morning all the players will take an antigen test again before leaving the Ciutat Esportiva for the El Prat airport, so it could end up falling some more in the case of testing positive.

Right now, the complete list of footballers who are summoned for the match against Mallorca (9 pm) is as follows: Ter Stegen, grandchild, Pique, Lenglet, Umtiti, Eric, Araújo, Mingueza, Frenkie, Riqui Puig, Luke, Nico, Peña, Jutglà, Ilias, Alvaro, William, Commas, Marble, Lucas Y Tin.