Samuel Umtiti returns to Barça training after hamstring injury

Samuel Umtiti returned to training on Saturday after missing Barcelona’s games against Malaga and Celtic with a hamstring injury. 

The French centre-back picked up the knock while on international duty with France earlier in November and was ruled out for three weeks. 

That timeframe put him on the cusp of the Clasico and his return to training suggests he could be ready for Real Madrid’s visit next Saturday. 

Umtiti worked on his own on Friday, as Andres Iniesta returned from knee ligament damage, but on Saturday he was able to join in with his teammates. 

It’s unlikely it will mean he’s available for the game Real Sociedad at Anoeta on Sunday, but he may be handed some minutes in the Copa del Rey game at Hercules on Wednesday. 

That would allow him to find some rhythm before the visit of Zinedine Zidane’s side.