OUSMANE DEMBELE has returned back to training with Barcelona but will not be rushed as he recovers from an injury.

The 20-year-old suffered a hamstring injury mid January and was ruled out for up to a month.

REUTERS

Dembele has returned back to training with Barcelona.[/caption]

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde has insisted he will not take any unnecessary risks with Dembele.

“Dembele’s not ready to play right now,” Valverde said in his pregame news conference.

“We will try to be careful with him, the same way we were when he came back last time. Hopefully, there’s no relapse.”

“He did part of the session with the group [on Saturday] and this week he will build up little by little. We will see when he is ready but now is not the moment to take any risks.”

Dembele has made seven appearances for Barcelona since signing from Borussia Dortmund back in August.

EPA

Barcelona’s players joke with French Ousmane Dembele during the team’s training session in Barcelona[/caption]

AP:Associated Press

Barca boss Valverde insists Dembele will not be rushed back to the pitch.[/caption]

AFP or licensors

Dembele will miss Barcelona’s league game against Espanyol on Sunday.[/caption]

He will miss Barcelona’s league game against Espanyol at Cornella El Prat on Sunday.

Yet could be considered for or the second leg of Barca’s Copa del Rey semi final against Valencia against Thursday – If Valverde is happy with his progress.

Barcelona are currently 11 points clear at the top of the league and are set to extend their unbeaten start in La Liga to 22 games with a win against Espanyol.

AP:Associated Press

The 20-year-old has been limited to just seven appearances for Ernesto Valverde’s side.[/caption]

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Dembele in actions for Barcelona at the start of this year.[/caption]

Which means this could be Barcelona’s best-ever start to a season, however boss Valverde remains to play it cool.

“That doesn’t mean anything to me right now, but it’s a good statistic.”

“Let’s see after the game, if it happens.”

“But I don’t want to think about that or are the margin for error. If you start thinking that way you can make mistakes. Our intention is to win the game, as it has been in every game this season.”