- Koeman confirms that Umtiti is still in his recovering process.
- The coach says that he has limited options at centre-back, that’s why he considers playing De Jong there.
“Samuel Umtiti is still recovering, and if he’s okay, I’ll count on him,” Ronald Koeman has told the press ahead of the Real Betis match.
Umtiti has been injured since July, and he’s yet to make his debut under the new coach. Because of his chronic injuries, the Frenchman has played only 33 games across the last two seasons.
“Our options at centre-back are quite limited due to injuries,” the coach added. “We know that Frenkie de Jong can play in that position but I still think more about Frenkie playing as a pivot.”
With Umtiti and Ronald Araujo injured, Barcelona now have only two fit centre-backs — Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet. Koeman has also summoned Barca B’s Oscar Mingueza for the Betis clash.
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