Injuries to Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto thrust Barcelona deeper in crisis.
Both Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto were forced to come off after suffering an injury during Barcelona’s 1-0 loss to Atletico Madrid. Particularly with Pique, speculation spread quickly that he might miss the rest of the season.
The team arrived back in Barcelona with both players undergoing medical tests to reveal the extent of their injuries. For the Catalans, it was not good news.
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According to an official statement released from the club, Pique has a “grade 3 sprain in the internal lateral ligament and partial injury to the anterior crucial ligament in his right knee.
Roberto has a “rupture in the femoral rectus of his right thigh. In other words, a right hamstring injury. Roberto is expected to miss two months.
Barcelona did not give a timetable for Pique’s recovery, only stating that his evolution will condition his availability.
Sport estimate that he could be out between four to six months with surgery being an option.
If true, he will be the second player set to miss nearly the rest of the season, joining star forward Ansu Fati.
Injuries never come at a good time but especially so with Barcelona. With Pique out, Clement Lenglet becomes the only healthy center-back available for Ronald Koeman.
Ronald Arajuo is still recovering from the injury he picked up against Juventus and there is no time table set yet for Samuel Umtiti’s return. Frenkie de Jong was used as the emergency center-back and will likely stay that way for the foreseeable future.
Sergino Dest will now take over the duties at right-back with the absence of Roberto.
The injuries to Pique and Roberto serve to illustrate further the shambles the planning for this season was. Short of depth at center-back already, they failed to bring in any new players. The decision to send Jean-Clair Todibo out on loan is looking more and more like a mistake.
Losing two starters on defense is going to have an impact on any team. Considering the poor start to Barcelona’s season, Koeman is going to have to change things quickly to start getting results. The elections are a couple of months away and his tenure as manager is already hanging by a thread.