Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui has received positive news on the injury front as Marcelo returned to training on Thursday.
The Brazilian stalwart emerged as a doubt for the encounter at the Nou Camp on Sunday after sustaining a leg injury in midweek during the win over Plzen in the Champions League.
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However, as noted by AS, he returned to training on Thursday and will seemingly remain on course to be given the all-clear to feature against the Catalan giants this weekend.
Aside from his defensive influence on the left flank, the 30-year-old has also scored in his last two outings at a time when Real Madrid are struggling for goals.
With that in mind, it will be a huge boost for Lopetegui to have him at his disposal, particularly given the pressure that he is still under after only recently seeing his side end a five-game winless streak.
AS add that Dani Carvajal isn’t expected to feature on Sunday, which will be a disappointment as it could leave the visitors exposed on the right flank.
It’s a potentially crucial match for Lopetegui as he still faces doubts over his future at the Bernabeu given their disappointing start to the campaign.
A win against Barcelona at the Nou Camp though would undoubtedly boost his chances of staying in the job, while also perhaps being a catalyst to kick-start their season and get back on track to achieve their objectives.
With no Lionel Messi for the hosts due to injury, it remains to be seen how that impacts proceedings with Real Madrid of course facing this encounter without Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time since his departure to join Juventus this past summer.