Neymar: I see myself playing on Saturday....

BarcelonaReturns after 106 days away from the club

A long spell away from the city of Barcelona is hardly any reason for Neymarnot to get at least a few minutes on Saturday's Camp Nou clash with Alaves, at least from the Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallist's point of view.

Vacation, this summer's Olympic Games, more vacation, and then a round of World Cup Qualifiers meant Neymar hadn't been on Catalan soil in 106 days.

"I'm happy to be back in Barcelona and can see myself playing on Saturday," the 24-year-old said.

While Lionel Messi's absence could perhaps speed up the Brazilian's return, Luis Enrique's new squad depth shouldn't require Neymar's services against a newly promoted side.