Barcelona Superstar a Major Doubt for El Clasico Against Real Madrid

• Ousmane Dembele's recovery process is going slower than expected
• The winger is out against Athletic Bilbao and could miss El Clasico
• The French forward sustained an injury against Girona in January

Barcelona forward, Ousmane Dembele is reportedly not yet ready to face Real Madrid at Camp Nou on March 19.

The 25-year-old was hooked off after just 25 minutes in the Catalan giants' 1-0 victory over Girona in the Spanish Primera Division two months ago.

The Frenchman has missed 10 matches since and was said to be preparing for a return from injury ahead of Barcelona's trip to San Mames to face Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

However, Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, as cited by Sportskeeda, stated Dembele would not be fit to make the squad to face the Basque club.

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The reports further state his chances of featuring against Real Madrid are minimal.

The ex-Borussia Dortmund winger was reportedly assessed by Barcelona's medical team on Tuesday morning and there is concern about causing potential relapses to the injury.

Dembele has experienced a rebirth at Barcelona, winning the hearts of fans and management alike at Camp Nou after a tough first few seasons.

He has become a key member under Xavi, who has helped the 25-year-old rediscover his best form for the Catalan giants since taking over as manager in 2022.

Lewandowski’s absence huge for Barcelona

Barcelona missing Robert Lewandowski’s goal-scoring services for the Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Madrid is regarded as a big problem, Goal reports.

The Polish international is the Catalan club's top scorer this season, with 25 goals in 31 matches, despite only joining the La Liga leaders in August.

Xavi's team travels to Madrid to face their rivals in the first leg of a cup match that could also set the tone for the title run-in, following losses in the Europa League.

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Barcelona could sell some superstars

Sports Brief also reported on Barcelona possibly unloading some stars as the club seeks to raise £178 million for new signings.

The club currently faces a financial roadblock after spending more than €150 mil last summer to sign stars such as Lewandowski.

La Liga boss, Javier Tebas revealed the league had blocked Barcelona from signing any more players due to their financial state.