Valverde: Dembele's doing some training... but without football boots
The coach says Dembele's recovery is going as planned
The player had uploaded a photograph wearing football boots
Ousmane Dembele's recovery is on track... but there's no rush. The photograph the player published on Thursday wearing a pair of boots was nothing more than a publicity campaign, as revealed by SPORT. Ernesto Valverde revealed on Friday the player is still not working with the ball.
"I hope I know more [about his recovery] than the journalists!" the Barça coach said. "He did a recovery session in the sand… without boots."
El Txingurri added: "It’s the normal process. I spoke with him, he’s happy, things are going well. The recovery is going as planned. We don’t expect to have him back before Christmas."
Dembele, who joined from Borussia Dortmund in the summer for 105 million euros, ruptured a tendon in the La Liga win against Getafe in September.
The player is hopeful of returning for the Clasico on Dec. 23 but everything suggests he will not be rushed and will return to action in the New Year.
