October 27, 2026
Barcelona suffered an additional painful blow following its defeat in the El Clásico match against its traditional rival, Real Madrid, with a score of 2-1, as the Catalan club announced the absence of its young defender, Xavi Espart, for a period of approximately seven weeks due to injury.
Barcelona stated, through an official medical statement, that medical examinations confirmed that the 19-year-old player suffered a ligament injury in his right ankle, as a result of a collision with Real Madrid player Aurelien Chouamini during the match that brought together the two teams last Sunday. Espart was forced to leave the green rectangle in the thirtieth minute after being unable to continue playing.
This injury deepens the crises of German coach Hansi Flick, who is facing a severe crisis in the lack of defensive options in light of the absence of a group of key players, most notably Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, and Andreas Christensen.
The young defender is expected to miss Barcelona’s crucial matches in the Spanish League and the Champions League, which imposes new challenges on the technical staff in managing the next stage.
