Barcelona’s difficult run has brought another setback, this time in the medical room. Xavi Espart has been diagnosed with a syndesmosis injury in his right ankle after the Clásico against Real Madrid and is expected to miss around seven weeks.
The Catalan club confirmed the result of examinations carried out after Espart was hurt in a collision with an opposition player during the match. His return to team activity will depend on how his rehabilitation develops over the coming weeks.
Quick facts
- Xavi Espart injured his right ankle against Real Madrid.
- Tests identified damage to the ankle syndesmosis.
- Barcelona estimate an absence of approximately seven weeks.
- The incident came during the Clásico at Camp Nou.
- Real Madrid won the league meeting through a Kylian Mbappé double.
For Espart, the diagnosis interrupts a period in which the young player had been pushing to remain involved with the first-team group. Barcelona will now manage his recovery carefully before considering a return.
The injury arrived amid a bruising spell for the hosts. Barcelona had already suffered their first defeat of the season against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, before losing for the first time in La Liga to their Madrid rivals.
Mbappé scored twice to end Barcelona’s domestic winning sequence and take the points for Real Madrid. Despite that result, Madrid remain third in the table, with plenty of the campaign still to play.
