The Barcelona injury bug shows no signs of slowing down. While Alejandro Balde and Lamine Yamal returned to team training on Wednesday, it was revealed that Barca captain Sergi Roberto is set to miss several weeks through injury, ruling him out of the game against Real Madrid later this month.
Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong are already facing a race against time to be fit for the game, and now it’s been confirmed that Roberto will miss the game.
While Roberto is no longer a starter for Barca, his experience is appreciated by Xavi and his teammates respect his leadership, exemplified by them voting him as the team captain for the 2023-24 season.
Roberto has often been used out of position at right-back, and his versatility and willingness to put the team above himself has always been a characteristic admired by fans all around the world. While his performances have sometimes put him in the firing line, he’ll be missed over the coming weeks with Barcelona set to face a busy schedule at home and on the continent.
2023-24 is set to be the final year for Sergi Roberto at Barcelona
This is a cruel blow for Roberto who is set to play out the final year of his contract at Barcelona after it was decided it was best for both parties for him to move on.
Roberto has played 6 times for Barcelona this year and scored a decisive goal against Grenada last time out, and while he may not be a regular starter or star player, he’s a very valuable first-team player.
Barcelona are hoping that Balde and Yamal continue their recovery well, and it’s expected that Pedri could be back for the Champions League game in the week. As far as this weekend is concerned, it looks as though Barca will need to play shorthanded for the time being.