Barcelona 16-year-old gem could be in contention for Alaves clash after training with first team

Barcelona 16-year-old gem could be in contention for Alaves clash after training with first team According to SPORT , Ebrima Tunkara has trained with the Barcelona first team again as Hansi Flick assesses his options ahead of Saturday’s La Liga meeting with Alaves at the Spotify Camp Nou. The 16-year-old midfielder joined Wednesday’s session at the Ciutat Esportiva following Barcelona’s defeat in El Clasico , giving him another opportunity to impress the German coach as injuries continue to affect the senior squad. Ebrima Tunkara builds momentum after injury setback Tunkara had already trained with the first team last Friday , alongside Orian Goren, although the latter was the only one of the pair included in Barcelona’s squad for the match against Real Madrid. Tunkara subsequently returned to action with Barça Atletic, starting Sunday’s league fixture against Olot. Ebrima Tunkara is training with the senior team. (Picture credit: Instagram/@ebrimatunkara10) It was another important step in his gradual return to competitive football after an ankle injury disrupted the opening months of his season. Tunkara suffered ligament damage to his left ankle that kept him sidelined for approximately six weeks. He returned to training in early October and made his comeback for the reserve team on 10 October against SD Logrones. Since then, he has gradually accumulated playing time to rebuild his match fitness. His latest involvement with Flick’s squad suggests that the coaching staff are continuing to monitor his progress as he looks to establish himself more firmly within the club’s first-team setup. Barcelona injury problems could open the door for Tunkara Tunkara’s return to first-team training comes at a time when Barcelona are dealing with several fitness concerns. The likes of Dani Olmo, Eric Garcia, Xavi Espart, Andreas Christensen, and Jules Kounde are all sidelined currently. Will Tunkara be called up against Alaves? (Picture credit: Instagram/@ebrimatunkara10) Flick is already familiar with the attacking midfielder, who made a positive impression during pre-season, and the current injury situation could give promising La Masia players an opportunity to move closer to senior football. The key question now is whether Tunkara remains with the first team for the rest of the week and earns a place in the squad for Saturday’s encounter against Alaves. Meanwhile, despite the defensive absences, Alex Campos remains the only defender from the reserve side working with Flick.