After their Champions League defeat to Chelsea, Barcelona quickly shifted their focus to this weekend's La Liga match against Alaves.

Head coach Hansi Flick confirmed before the match that midfield maestro Pedri is expected to make his first appearance since recovering from injury, while center-back Ronald Araujo will miss the game due to a stomach virus.

Pedri, who has been sidelined since suffering a torn leg muscle last month, is now close to returning. Flick revealed that the Canary Islands midfielder will receive some playing time but will not be in the starting lineup; the team will bring him on in the second half depending on the situation of the game.

Meanwhile, Araujo's absence limited Barcelona's defensive options, but Flick stated that this is part of football and expressed confidence in the other players.

Despite the disappointing 0-3 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League, Flick was satisfied with the team's response in training afterwards. He emphasized that the team's focus is now on catching up in the league, where Barcelona are currently only one point behind league leaders Real Madrid.

Barcelona recently received some encouraging news from Rafael Diaz Belloli. The Brazilian winger, who had missed nearly two months due to a hamstring injury, has made his debut as a substitute in the last two matches.

Flick clearly expressed his appreciation for him: "I miss him a lot. He is one of the most important players on the team, and his focus and impact are crucial to us. He is very eager to prove himself now, and I hope to see him do so."

Furthermore, the team's overall health is improving. In addition to the return of Pedri and Rafael, Flick revealed that Marcus Rashford has also recovered from his cold, bringing the team to almost full strength.