Barcelona have been without the services of prized midfielder Gavi for the vast majority of the season so far, with him having been out since August due to a knee injury. He underwent surgery in September to rectify the problem, and since then, he has been on the road to recovery.

Gavi’s absence has been a big blow for Barcelona, particularly because of the infectious spirit he generates. Issues for the likes of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong in recent weeks would have seen him play regularly, so it will be particularly disappointing for him to have suffered another knee injury.

However, the good news is that Gavi’s recovery is going well. As per Sport, he is following the deadlines set for a recovery, and all being well, he will be able to make his return to action in February.

Currently, Gavi is in the phase of obtaining strong muscles in his right quadriceps so that the knee suffers as little as possible, in addition to the exercises to gain flexibility in the joint. This is where Barcelona had been down to be at this stage, which is why there is optimism for him returning on schedule.

First match back could be in the Champions League

As for a specific match that Gavi could return for, the report states that a possible Champions League play-off may be the one. Barcelona will be hoping to avoid this by finishing inside the top 8 in the league phase, but if they cannot do so, one of these two matches could be when their midfielder makes his long-awaited comeback.

It remains to be seen exactly when Gavi returns, but the fact that he is on schedule is very good news for him and Barcelona, whose supporters will also be eagerly awaiting seeing him back in the Blaugrana jersey.