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Barcelona first team back to training

Barcelona, Spain, May 8 (efe-epa).- Barcelona’s first time returned to the Joan Gamper sporting complex for some individual training after 56 days of confinement due to the coronavirus outbreak in Spain.

The club’s players have all tested negative for Covid-19.

Initially, 11 players arrived at the training facilities in stages from 9am. Manager Quique Setién and his coaching staff were also there to oversee the partial resumption of training. The players were spread out over three pitches.

It was Barca’s top brass who were the first to return.

Goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, defenders Gerard Piqué, Samuel Umiti, Jordi Alba, Clement Lenglet, Junior Firpo and Sergi Roberto, midfielder Arturo Vidal and forwards Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Antoine Griezmann.

These first team players, who arrived in sports gear as to avoid using the locker rooms.

Each player trained with a maximum of five others on one pitch. In the second shift, the rest of the first-team players took to the field, with the exception of Osumane Dembélé, who is out with a long-term injury. They were goalkeeper Iñaki Peña, defender Ronald Araujo, midfielders Monchu Rodríguez and Riqui Puig and forwards Álex Collado and Ansu Fati.

They’re due to be back at it on Saturday.

Barcelona’s rivals Real Madrid are due to head back to training on 11 May, by which time most of Spain will be able to start de-escalating its coronavirus lockdown.

All Real Madrid players were cleared of having Covid-19 in tests this week.

The resumption of professional sporting activities for Real Madrid will come 60 days after their normal routine was interrupted by the pandemic with 11 league match fixtures to go.

Real Madrid are also due to travel to Manchester City at some point for the second-leg of a postponed Champions League quarter-final.

According to protocol, Real Madrid’s returning players must arrive at the training center wearing gloves and masks.

Zinedine Zidane’s team will then pick up a training regime. EFE-EPA

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