Brugts and Kika Nazareth return after medical clearance for Sevilla-Barça

Barça gets two key players back for the second Liga F matchday: Esmee Brugts and Kika Nazareth have received medical clearance and have travelled to Seville for the Sevilla-Barça game on Saturday at 20:30 at Estadio Jesús Navas, as Mundo Deportivo reports.

Cleared to play, set to travel

According to the paper, both players made the squad on Friday morning and then travelled in the afternoon. Brugts and Kika Nazareth missed the title defence opener at Estadi Johan Cruyff against Costa Adeje Tenerife, a match that finished 5-0 and left Barça top after the first whistle.

What kept them out

Mundo Deportivo states Brugts was sidelined for two weeks with a right posterior tibial injury. Nazareth, meanwhile, had been in the treatment room for four weeks due to an issue at the pubofemoral part of the left quadriceps’ adductor major.

Their inclusion means two academy players are left out of the matchday squad: Lidia Gibert (16) and Anna Quer (18), Mundo Deportivo adds.

Pere Romeu on the matchup

With the squad back to strength, Pere Romeu expects a different type of game against Sevilla. As quoted by the outlet, he describes them as “courageous and daring”, with “joyful football”, technical players and good ball control, adding that they will try to contest possession. He also says Barça will look to press high, and warns that it will be “very different” to the Tenerife match where Sevilla’s opponent stayed more compact, according to Mundo Deportivo.