Dani Olmo: doubt until the last minute for the derby against Espanyol

FC Barcelona held an open-door training session at the Johan Cruyff Stadium on Monday, as the squad returned to work after the Christmas break. Dani Olmo was one of the new faces of the day, participating in part of the session with the group, although he ended up training separately during the most intense part of the workout.

The player from Terrassa is still recovering from the left shoulder dislocation he suffered on December 2, against Atlético de Madrid (3-1). The attacking midfielder injured himself just after scoring his fourth goal in LaLiga, his third consecutive after scoring a brace against Alavés (3-1)Olmo was going through his best moment in a season in which he started as a substitute behind **Fermín López**.

The player from Huelva also overcame some physical problems in November and was far from his best version in the last two games of the year. In that regard, Dani is confident of regaining his starting position once he receives medical clearance.

When will Dani Olmo play for Barça again?

Before his shoulder injury, the Spanish international amassed 958 minutes of action in 17 games (9 starts) in which he scored 4 goals and provided a couple of assists. A soleus injury caused him to miss 3 games in October. In total, the Terrassa native has been sidelined for 8 matches, having also missed 15 games last season due to muscle problems.

Physical appearance remains Olmo's Achilles' heel, one of the most versatile midfielders in the Barça squad. The 27-year-old footballer can play multiple positions in midfield and up front, but recurring injuries always end up affecting his performance.

Since his signing with Barça in the summer of 2024, Dani has accumulated 16 goals and 9 assists in 56 official matches. Looking ahead to 2026, his great challenge will be to stay healthy to reach the final stretch of the season and the World Cup in full form. 

In that regard, Hansi Flick will likely prefer to rule out the midfielder against Espanyol and have him at one hundred percent for the Spanish Super Cup. Barça will travel to Arabia next week to face Athletic on Wednesday, January 7, in Jeddah.

Dani Olmo's Records with Barça in 25/26

1. Games played: 17
2. Games started: 9
3. Minutes played: 958
4. Goals: 4
5. Assists: 2
6. Yellow cards: 1