In the back offices at Barcelona, a slight feeling of irritation has started to rear its head when talk turns to Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo. Since he returned from international duty with Brazil three weeks ago, there has been nothing but bad news concerning the player. He returned carrying a groin strain which kept him out of the first two games and after featuring in the starting line-up against Atlético Madrid at the Wanda, he's completely vanished from Valverde's squad lists.

Arthur's snowboarding incident

Arthur's groin problems persist and and is that wasn't enough, there were reports on TV3 that the player had been snowboarding in Andorra whilst out of the team at the start of December. Such activities, without club permission, are prohibited for a professional footballer and more so, if they are trying to recover from a groin issue.

Arthur has already been ruled out of the rescheduled meeting with Real Madrid on Wednesday night. Today, the player continued with his personal rehabilitation programme and as things stand, he isn't expected to return to first team duties until the New Year. Barça's medical department are working flat out so that the midfielder will be available for the first game of 2020: the Catalan derby against Espanyol in Cornellà-El Prat on 4 January.

Full screen Gorka Leiza (DIARIO AS)

Barcelona almost at full strength for El Clásico

Right now, Valverde has practically his full squad fit and available for Wednesday's clash with Real Madrid. Apart from Arthur, the only other absentee is Ousmane Dembélé, who returned to Barcelona on Sunday after spending 15 days at the Aspetar Centre in Doha receiving treatment for a hamstring tear.