Concern for FC Barcelona as Vitor Roque suffers injury

The management team at FC Barcelona have been put on high alert this morning after Vitor Roque had to be helped off the field having suffered what appears to be a significant ankle injury.

Roque who signed for Barcelona last month and who is set to arrive in Spain in January lasted just 7 minutes for Club Athletico Paranaense in their 2-1 win against Sport Club Internacional.

Roque was chasing a ball when a firm challenge caused him to fall awkwardly, with his ankle seeming to twist under the pressure of his body weight.

The striker stayed down and looked in considerable pain before being stretchered off the pitch. The medical team applied ice on the bench, but the extent of the injury remains unknown.

Could Roque’s injury delay his arrival at FC Barcelona?

Although the severity of the injury is unknown at this point, it’s feared that the ankle injury could sideline Roque for three months.

However, if that timeline is accurate, it would mean that he’d be available to move to FC Barcelona in January as planned.

There is a lot of excitement in Barcelona about the arrival of Roque after the La Liga champions agreed a fee of €35 million plus add-ons with his parent club.

At just 18 years of age, he is seen as the natural and logical replacement for Robert Lewandowski, who’s in the twilight years of his career.

Roque has been in fine form for Athletico Paranaense so far this season having scored 20 goals across 42 games in all competitions, including 4 in 8 games in the Copa Libertadores, the Champions League of South America.

Barcelona will be anxiously waiting on news, as initial diagnoses can be misleading with further scans showing ligament issues which can take longer to recover from. I think everyone in Spain would take the 3-month timeline this morning.