Lamine Yamal and Balde back for Barca against Athletic Bilbao

Lamine Yamal and Alejandro Balde have been medically cleared and have been included in the squad to face Athletic. It's no surprise: Xavi already announced in Friday's press conference that both would be available for the match against the Basque outfit and so it proved. What's more, both have a good chance of starting tonight.

Lamine's mishap occurred on the last matchday before the break: in the match against Granada. The home-grown player became the youngest player in history to score a goal in the top flight at the age of 16 years, two months and 25 days, but he left the pitch in the 76th minute. 

The striker had a slight discomfort in his adductor and, although he travelled to Madrid, he did not join the national team camp for their games. Barca released a statement saying that "the tests carried out have shown that he has an injury to the psoas iliacus in his left leg. He is out of the squad and his evolution will determine his availability. The player will join the Spanish national team training camp where he will also be assessed by the RFEF medical services". 

Now that Lamine has recovered, he has taken part in Barça's recent training sessions. Balde, meanwhile, was substituted at half-time in the Spain-Scotland game due to groin discomfort. "After leaving the 'La Roja' training camp and returning to Barcelona, the Barça youth player has undergone medical tests which have determined that he is suffering from discomfort in his adductor muscles. He is out and his evolution will determine his availability," said the Barça statement at the time.

Both are fit for tonight's game against Athletic, where they are expected to play an important role.