Barcelona youngster a ‘surprise’ inclusion in first-team training on Monday | OneFootball

A member of the youth setup at La Liga giants Barcelona was a surprise participant in first-team training alongside Hansi Flick’s star-studded squad on Monday.

That’s according to Diario Sport, who point towards Diego Kochen as the player in question.

Goalkeeper Kochen is a regular feature in senior training at The Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, widely considered to be a potential star in the making.

The United States international, however, was late last month struck down by a hamstring injury, expected to be sidelined for around a month as a result.

In turn, his presence in the thick of things in Catalunya’s capital on Monday morning – just three weeks on – came as a major surprise.

With Marc-André ter Stegen sidelined long-term, and free agent signing Wojciech Szczęsny working to build match fitness, it is in turn not out of the question that Kochen could be called up for matchday duties in Barcelona’s post-international break return to action against Sevilla this weekend.

Conor Laird – GSFN