FC Barcelona have received a huge injury blow according to the Catalan media.
FC Barcelona have received another huge injury blow as confirmed by the club.
Approaching midday on Thursday in Catalonia, SPORT reported that star midfielder Pedri has picked up a knock in the quadriceps area that will keep him out “for several weeks”.
In quick succession, Barca confirmed the news on social media.
The development comes just seven days after defensive leader Ronald Araujo was also sidelined by a training session gone wrong.
“Araujo has a problem with his left hamstring. He’s out and his recovery will mark his return,” read a short statement published by the club via Twitter.
While Barca did not specify how long Araujo will be out of action for, Mundo Deportivo expected his absence to be at least a month long.
The same publication also reported news of Pedri’s injury. It noted that Pedri suffered the same knock on February 16 when he hobbled off against Manchester United in the Europa League and was absent from the pitch for at least two months.
Because of this, the Tenerife native shouldn’t be expected back in the first XI until after the international break next month.
According to COPE, though, Pedri will be out of action for “more than five to six weeks” as explained by their sources which means we might not see him don his number 8 shirt until October at the earliest.
Barca dramatically declined when Pedri wasn’t available over the mentioned timeframe last term.
First eliminated from the Europa League by United, they were then dumped out of the Copa del Rey semi-finals by bitter rivals Real Madrid through a 4-0 thrashing in the second leg which was their worst home defeat in El Clasico in 60 years.
On Sunday, Barca were well on course to break an unwanted 50-year record by starting a La Liga campaign goalless in their first two matches for the first time since 1973 until Pedri struck in the 82nd minute of an eventual 2-0 victory over Cadiz.
The Spain international linked excellently with new signing Ilkay Gundogan for the goal, and their budding partnership will now be temporarily derailed just as it was taking off.
With Pedri gone for a while, it will be down to ex-Manchester City captain Gundogan to take the reins in attacking midfield while Gavi’s place in the starting lineup should become undisputed once more.
A vacant space in the squad list – theoretically speaking – could eventually lead to highly-rated Noah Darvich, who trained with Xavi’s men for the first time on Thursday, eventually being called up for one of the forthcoming matchdays.