Barcelona stalwart Luis Suarez is reportedly on course to return to training ahead of the conclusion of the La Liga season if it is given the go-ahead to be completed.
As noted by BBC Sport in January, the 33-year-old sustained a serious knee injury which was expected to keep him sidelined for around four months and put him at risk of missing the remainder of the campaign.
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However, with the season suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic, not only has the Uruguayan stalwart avoided missing further games, but he could be fully recovered in time for the resumption of the schedule.
As per the Guardian, players in Spain are gradually set to return to training this month with the suggestion that the schedule could start again from mid-June.
With that in mind, it has given Suarez a better chance of being in contention to play a key role in the remainder of the season, and now the Barcelona coaching staff, namely assistant Eder Sarabia, have painted a positive picture on his recovery from his injury setback as it’s suggested that he will rejoin training with the rest of the group.
“We are very hopeful that Suarez will be a very good ‘signing’. Until now there was a winter market, a summer market and now there will be a lockdown market,” he is quoted as saying by Sport. “We have seen him work like a savage day to day, crushing himself and trying to shorten deadlines.”
Meanwhile, trainer Fran Soto added: “The recovery of Suarez was very good and more or less within the established deadlines. This return to work, being individual, will return to normal and the work will be adapted to his condition. He will be one more, along with his colleagues.”
Prior to his injury blow, Suarez had bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in just 23 games, thus showing his ongoing importance to the side.
With a lack of quality depth in that department to fill the void too, with Barcelona forced to sign Martin Braithwaite outside of the transfer window to address the issue, having their first-choice talisman up front to lead the line will surely be a huge boost as they remain in contention for the La Liga title and the Champions League.
Naturally though with such a lengthy spell on the sidelines, it will take him time to build up his match fitness and so Barcelona will have to be cautious, while there is of course the additional threat of suffering a setback if he isn’t managed carefully in the coming weeks.