Frenkie de Jong back after 63 days

Frenkie de Jong is back. After a two-month absence through injury, the Netherlands international played all 90 minutes of Saturday's 1-1 draw with Rayo. It was his first outing since he was injured against Celta on September 23, meaning he has sat out seven Liga games plus a further three in Europe.

Until getting injured, De Jong had played every minute of all competitions apart from a short rest in the second half of the game with Antwerp. And Barça remain unbeaten with the Dutchman on the pitch, for he was absent for the defeats against Real Madrid and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Together with Pedri after 98 days

When De Jong got injured, Pedri had yet to recover from his own fitness issues, meaning that this was the first time the two had played a competitive game together since lining up against Cadiz on August 20. A few days afterwards, the Canary Islander suffered his cruel fate in a training session

So at last the midfielder maestros could work together again this Saturday in Madrid, enjoying 75 minutes of each other's presence before Pedri was substituted for the final quarter hour.