Barcelona's Dembele could return for El Clasico, says specialist

Ousmane Dembele's positive recovery from a hamstring injury could pave the way for a return as early as next month's El Clasico, according to the doctor who operated on the Barcelona winger.

Dembele - Barcelona's club-record signing from Borussia Dortmund last summer - only managed to make three appearances for the Blaugrana before going down with a ruptured tendon.

The initial prognosis ruled the French international out of action until the new year, but specialist Sakari Orava revealed that Dembele has a chance to be available for Barcelona's crucial La Liga encounter with Real Madrid on Dec. 23.

"It is going quicker than expected," Oravi, who operated on Dembele in September, said in an interview with Cadena SER, as translated by Samuel Marsden of ESPN FC.

"He already said he wants to come back before the planned date, but we don't know if that will be possible.

"Could he play against Madrid? Maybe, maybe ... but I can't assure you of anything.

Orava added that Dembele has returned to light training and he expects the 20-year-old to resume football activities later this month.

"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," he said.

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