Joachim Low visits former pupil Flick after league triumph

It may be celebration time in Barcelona, but there's little time to dwell on the party as they prepare to host Villarreal on Sunday. The final training session before the penultimate league match had a notable visitor at the Joan Gamper training ground.

Joachim Low was seen on the pitch greeting players and staff in a relaxed atmosphere. His presence comes as no surprise, given his long-standing connection with Flick. The current Barcelona boss worked under Low as an assistant during Germany's golden period, which included winning the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

Flick stepped down from the Germany bench after that tournament to become the sporting director of the German FA until 2019. He later took over at Bayern Munich, where he claimed a historic treble.

Low, meanwhile, remained in charge of the national team until Euro 2021, with Flick eventually replacing him.

Araujo ruled out

The session also brought a setback. Ronald Araujo was absent after picking up a knock to his right knee against Espanyol on Thursday. Though he featured during the celebrations, including an awkward slip on the team bus, he has not recovered in time.

As a result, the Uruguayan defender will miss the Villarreal clash. Barcelona will also be without Jules Kounde, Marc Bernal and Ferran Torres. There are no suspensions, though Gavi and Raphinha are one booking away from a ban.