With football currently on hold due to the coronavirus crisis, it’s reported that the stoppage could allow Barcelona ace Ousmane Dembele to feature again this season.
Spain has been hit particularly hard along with Italy as far as Europe is concerned during the outbreak, and with cases and death tolls sadly increasing sharply day by day this week, football is the last thing that many are thinking about.
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With La Liga suspended, it remains to be seen when the Spanish government decide that it is safe for games to resume, but it certainly won’t be this month and there is little expectation that it could be reassessed in May as things stand, with AS noting that the suspension is currently indefinite.
In turn, with UEFA postponing EURO 2020 to next year and pushing back European competitions, it gives domestic leagues the opportunity to complete their respective campaigns over the summer.
With that in mind, Sport note that Barcelona could welcome back Dembele from injury in July after five months out, which in turn could hand coach Quique Setien an important boost in the latter stages of the campaign with the La Liga title and Champions League still up for grabs.
It’s been another injury-plagued season for the 22-year-old, as he has managed just one goal in nine appearances this year. It’s been a similar story throughout his time at the Nou Camp, but he remains an important figure in the squad.
With his pace, directness and movement off the ball coupled with his threat in the final third, he offers a different dynamic to the Barcelona attack when fit.
Sport noted in February after Dembele’s setback that Setien was bitterly disappointed by the latest blow, and so he will no doubt welcome the Frenchman back with open arms if he recovers and is ready to play a part in the conclusion of the season with the report above suggesting it could be mid-June when things start to resume.