Flick’s staff keeping a close eye on 16-year-old Barcelona academy gem’s recovery

Flick’s staff keeping a close eye on 16-year-old Barcelona academy gem’s recovery Barcelona are taking a deliberately cautious approach with one of the academy players who made a strong impression on Hansi Flick during pre-season. Ebrima Tunkara, Barça Atletic’s teenage midfielder, is still recovering from an ankle ligament injury suffered in a reserve-team friendly.  The 16-year-old had been earmarked for a season in which he could move between Juliano Belletti’s side and Flick’s first team, but his progress has now been temporarily interrupted, and the club is refusing to accelerate that process. Tunkara caught Flick’s eye at 16 Tunkara’s rise has been remarkably quick. Despite being a first-year youth player, he spent the entire pre-season training with Barcelona’s senior squad, giving Flick an extended opportunity to assess him. The midfielder made a particularly positive impression on the German coach and his staff, with his physical development standing out for someone so young.  Barcelona are being patient with Ebrima Tunkara’s recovery. (Picture credit: Instagram/@ebrimatunkara10) At the same time, his tactical understanding and ability to use the ball intelligently have also attracted attention, which explains why Barcelona continue to regard him as a future first-team option. Ankle injury pauses his progress The immediate priority, though, is ensuring Tunkara makes a complete recovery. His ankle ligament problem occurred during a Barça Atlètic friendly and subsequently ruled him out of Spain’s Under-17 squad.  Barcelona initially estimated an absence of around five weeks, but the midfielder still has approximately three weeks of rehabilitation ahead of him. According to SPORT , he has not yet reached the stage where he can begin individualised work on the pitch, which is why Barcelona are unwilling to put pressure on the recovery.  Ebrima Tunkara is currently injured with an ankle injury. (Picture credit: Instagram/@ebrimatunkara10) At 16, there is little benefit in taking unnecessary risks with an ankle injury, particularly when a premature return could create the possibility of a setback. Flick continues to monitor the youngster At the same time, the injury has not changed the club’s view of Tunkara. Flick’s staff remain interested in his rehabilitation and are following his progress closely. The original plan remains intact: Tunkara is expected to develop primarily with Barça Atlètic while also alternating with first-team training when appropriate. If his recovery continues according to schedule, the midfielder could return to competitive football around mid-October.