Barça's Dembele will come back 'little by little', says Ernesto Valverde
The coach says it would have been ideal to create a mini preseason
Dembele could return to action on Thursday against Celta Vigo
After nearly four months out of action, Ousmane Dembele is available for Barcelona again having recovered from a ruptured tendon.
However, to avoid a relapse, Barça coach Ernesto Valverde says he will take his time brining the club's recor signing back into the side.
“Getting a player like Dembele back is very positive for us,” Valverde said. “He got injured just as he was adapting to the team, but he could be important in the second half of the season.
“We have to be calm and take it step by step, though. He has to earn his minutes, of course, but we are counting on him. The ideal scenario would be for him to have a kind of preseason, but the schedule is what it is. We'll give him minutes little by little.”
Dembele was injured against Getafe in September but was given the green light to return to action this week.
In theory, he will make his comeback against Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey on Thursday, with Valverde to confirm his squad for the game later on Wednesday.
