Barcelona will have to face the month of November without their key man Sergi Roberto. The Spanish defender picked up a hamstring injury during their Champions League clash with Olympiakos.
Ernesto Valverde was forced to make a change in the final minutes of the first half, taking off Sergi Roberto and bringing on Gerard Deulofeu.
The following day, tests confirmed that the 25-year-old would miss out on five weeks of football action, worrying thousand of Barca fans across the globe. And critics will be waiting to see how Valverde will deal with his injury and who he will point to as his replacement.
How will his absence affect Barcelona?
Messi and Co. are en route for a difficult set of matches this month starting with a tough visit to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium to take on LaLiga’s fifth-place contenders Sevilla. The Blaugrana will be without their versatile player and his absence will surely be noticed. His season so far has been incredible, as he has become an integral part of the squad.
Whether he plays as a full-back or in the midfield position, he shines on the pitch with his brilliant runs through the middle of the field.
Unfortunately, there will be none of that magic against Sevilla and the rest of the matches the Catalan is set to miss.
Valverde must find a replacement for the talented La Masia player in order to keep the team’s current form in all three competitions.
Which matches will Sergi Roberto miss?
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Sevilla (La Liga)
Leganes (La Liga)
Juventus (Champions League)
Valencia (Copa del Rey)
Real Murcia (Copa del Rey)
Also, during the first week of December, the Catalans will host Celta de Vigo at the Camp Nou.
And let’s not forget about Andres Iniesta’s thigh injury, which forced him to miss out on the Athletic Club and Olympiakos games. Iniesta and Sergi Roberto are both crucial players for the team and their absences will put Barcelona to the test this month.
It’s sad to see Sergi sidelined for an entire five weeks, especially after his brilliant form. He has been exceeding all expectations, playing in any position Valverde assigns him to and performing sensationally.
The Reus-born man will hopefully be back in action for the month of December and his services will be essential, particularly for the Clasico which is scheduled to be on December 23rd.