Barcelona teenage starlet monitored by first-team staff closer to returning from long-term injury

Barcelona teenage starlet monitored by first-team staff closer to returning from long-term injury According to Mundo Deportivo , talented Barcelona winger Sama Nomoko has taken a key step forward in his recovery from a long-term injury. The 18-year-old starlet, who is a part of the Barça Atletic setup, has resumed training with ball, entering the final stage of his rehabilitation as he edges closer to a comeback. What happened to Sama Nomoko? Nomoko has been out of action for nearly a year now. The teenage attacker suffered a serious ACL rupture in December 2025 , during a UEFA Youth League match against Eintracht Frankfurt, leaving him out on the sidelines ever since. The young winger not only tore his ACL in his right knee but also sustained damage to but meniscus and had to undergo surgery to address the injury. Since then, he has been working hard on his rehabilitation, and it appears that he can now finally see light at the end of the tunnel. Taking key steps forward In recent months, Nomoko has started doing training sessions on the pitch, including high-intensity running exercises. As per the report, the 18-year-old has been under the supervision of the first-team medical staff since August, who are closely monitoring his recovery and progress. Now, the La Masia graduate has achieved a significant milestone on his road to recovery as he has started working with the ball, which means he is now in the final phase of his long and arduous journey. Despite the encouraging development, there is no rush within Barcelona regarding his return. The medical staff as well as Barça Atletic coach Juliano Belletti intend to take a cautious and measured approach over the youngster’s reintegration. As such, a return to action for Nomoko will not take place at least until January 2027. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sama Nomoko (@sama.nomoko) Rated very highly within the club, the 18-year-old attacker was enjoying an impressive season in 2025/26 before injury struck. Indeed, Nomoko had made 14 appearances for Barça Atletic, scoring two and assisting three goals in the process. He had also assisted one goal in four games for Barça’s Juvenil A (U19) side in the UEFA Youth League. As far as Nomoko is concerned, there is total confidence within the club about his talent and potential. Therefore, talks of a new contract have been doing the rounds , given his current one expires in 2027. For now, the focus will be on helping him complete this final phase of his recovery and return to playing football.