Post-win recovery

After doing their homework in the Champions League and picking up a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk, the FC Barcelona players were straight back at work on Thursday morning with something else on their minds. And it's a big something.

Saturday at 4.15pm CEST brings El Clásico against Real Madrid and the chance to move ahead of the all-whites in the table.

The squad therefore gathered at the Ciutat Esportiva this morning to recover from the previous night's efforts, but also to start thinking ahead to what is always one of the biggest games on the football calendar. And Xavi Hernández had the welcome sight today of seeing Raphinha, one of a number of key players out injured at the moment, able to join in with several of the exercises with the rest of the group.

The Brazilian has been unavailable since September 29 and the game with Sevilla. The Barça Atlètic players who had been called up for first team duty the night before (Héctor Fort, Marc Guiu, Pau Cubarsí and Marc Casadó) were also there, as were U19A team goalkeeper Áron Yaakobishvili and midfielder Quim Junyent.

There was also a special visit to today's training by Eusebio Sacristán, one of the members of the great Dream Team, who had a lengthy chat with Xavi Hernández and Joan Barberà after the workout ended.