Javi Puado returns for Espanyol after serious injury, included in squad

Espanyol have a boost with Javi Puado back after a serious injury suffered on January 11 at Ciutat de València. The captain has made the squad of Manolo González for this Friday’s trip to Málaga at La Rosaleda (21:00).

Puado has been training normally for two weeks, as the coach said in his press conference. Manolo González added that whether he plays minutes will depend on “the feelings he has”, highlighting that he is “very mature”.

Also missing are Jofre Carreras, sidelined with a pubis issue for the last two games, and Kike García, who underwent surgery at the start of August for an injury to the tendon of the right leg’s biceps femoris and is not expected back until December.

The full Espanyol squad features Fortuño and Dmitrovic in goal, Gorosabel, Hartman and Riedel in defence, Urko, Edu Expósito and Pol Lozano in midfield, and up front with Puado alongside Roberto Fernández, Pere Milla, Bryan Zaragoza, Marcos Fernández, Calatrava and Dolan.