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Surgeon: 'El Clasico return a possibility for Ousmane Dembele'

Surgeon Sakari Orava reveals that Ousmane Dembele's recovery "is going quicker than expected" and he could still make a return to action at some stage next month.

The surgeon who operated on Ousmane Dembele has confirmed reports that the Barcelona forward is in contention to make his comeback from injury in time for December's hotly-anticipated El Clasico showdown with Real Madrid.

Club-record signing Dembele was struck down by injury just 30 minutes into his first La Liga start for Barca, initially seeing him ruled out until the second half of the season.

Speculation in the Spanish press earlier this week suggested that Dembele is ahead of schedule on the comeback trail, however, with a return before December 22 - the first Clasico league clash of the season - a possibility.

Asked to provide an update on the Frenchman's recovery process, surgeon Sakari Orava told Cadena SER: "It is going quicker than expected. He has already said he wants to come back before the planned date.

"But we don't know if that will be possible. Maybe, [he could face Madrid,] maybe, but I can't assure you of anything. Right now, he is training in the sandpits that Barca have and I think that, by the middle of November, he'll be able to touch a ball again.

"If he did too much now there would be a risk of a relapse but, if he takes things calmly, everything will be okay."

Dembele featured three times for Barcelona in all before damaging his hamstring in the 2-1 win against Getafe on September 16.

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General view of stadium before the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg match between Barcelona and FC Bayern Muenchen at Nou Camp on May 1, 2013
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona12110140112933
2Real Madrid1173121111024
3Atletico MadridAtletico126511871123
4Villarreal116322019121
5Osasuna126331716121
6Athletic Bilbao125431812619
7Real BetisBetis125431210219
8Mallorca12534109118
9Rayo Vallecano114431210216
10Celta Vigo125161820-216
11Real Sociedad124351010015
12GironaGirona124351517-215
13Sevilla124351217-515
14AlavesAlaves124171419-513
15Leganes122551216-411
16Getafe12174810-210
17Espanyol123181122-1110
18Las PalmasLas Palmas122371321-89
19Real ValladolidValladolid12228924-158
20Valencia11146817-97


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