Barcelona suffered another setback to their defensive line after announcing an injury to Xavi Espart during their El Clásico clash against Real Madrid, depriving Hansi Flick of one of his standout young talents this season.
The fullback left the match at Spotify Camp Nou before the end of the first half in a fixture that ended in a 2-1 defeat for the Catalan side, further compounding their defensive troubles.
Barcelona stated in an official announcement: “Medical tests have confirmed that Xavi Espart has suffered a ligament injury to his right ankle,” clarifying that the injury resulted from a collision with an opposing player during the match.
Regarding his recovery timeline, the club added: “The player will be sidelined for approximately seven weeks,” denying Flick his services during a crucial period packed with domestic and European fixtures.
Espart had requested a substitution in the 29th minute, making way for Alejandro Balde to take over the left flank while João Cancelo shifted to the right-back position for the remainder of the contest.
His injury deepens the squad’s defensive selection crisis, as Barcelona had already entered El Clásico without Eric García, Jules Koundé, and Andreas Christensen, significantly limiting the German manager’s ability to rotate his squad.
The blow comes at a time when the 19-year-old was cementing his place in the first team, following an impressive display against Paris Saint-Germain where he managed to score despite Barcelona’s 4-2 Champions League defeat.
His expected absence extends into December, forcing Flick to reshape his full-back options over the coming weeks while awaiting the return of injured defenders to mitigate the impact of squad absences.
