Barcelona Confirm Xavi Espart Out for Seven Weeks With Right Ankle Injury After El Clasico

Barcelona have confirmed a seven-week absence for Xavi Espart after the defender suffered a syndesmosis injury to the right ankle in El Clasico.

How the injury happened

Espart, 19, was hurt in the 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid on 25 October, after a challenge from Aurelien Tchouameni. He went off in the first half, around the 29th minute, and was replaced by Alejandro Balde.

Matches Espart will miss

Barcelona confirmed an estimated absence of approximately seven weeks, pointing to a return around mid-December. He will miss matches against Alaves, Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid before the November international break, and Villarreal, Sabah and Deportivo de A Coruna after it.

Wider injury picture

The blow adds to a growing list of absentees, with Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen and Dani Olmo already sidelined. The timing leaves Barcelona short of options in defence for a busy run of fixtures.

Why the injury is a serious blow for Xavi Espart and Barcelona

The injury arrived at a point when Espart had become a permanent fixture in the tactical setup of Hansi Flick this season. The 19 year old La Masia player had become the preferred starter at left back, even though left back was an unnatural position for him. The source report named Joao Cancelo and Alejandro Balde as the established options at the position, and Espart had moved ahead of both players in the selection order.

Espart had also shown the value of that run with a goal in the defeat against PSG last week. The source report said Espart started that match and scored a goal, and Espart then featured from the start in El Clasico as well. The injury in El Clasico therefore interrupted a run of starts in consecutive weeks.

How the challenge from Aurelien Tchouameni ended the El Clasico start for Espart

El Clasico took place at Spotify Camp Nou, and Barcelona lost the match 2-1 to Real Madrid on 25 October. Espart started the match, and the injury followed a challenge from Aurelien Tchouameni. The original post placed the exit in the first half, around the 29th minute, and the source report placed the injury close to the half hour mark. The two descriptions point to the same early exit from a major match. Espart was unable to carry on after the challenge, and Alejandro Balde replaced him.

Tests were conducted at the training facilities of the club, according to the source report, and the results confirmed the scale of the problem. The club statement said the tests had confirmed an injury to the syndesmosis of the right ankle as a result of a traumatic action with an opposing player during the match against Real Madrid. The statement also gave an estimated time out of approximately seven weeks. The medical confirmation removed doubt about the nature of the injury and set a clear timeline for the absence.

Which matches will Xavi Espart miss during the seven week absence

The absence was described in the source report as close to two months, and the list of matches in that period covered fixtures on both sides of the November international break. Before the break, Espart was expected to miss matches against Alaves, Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid. The three matches formed the run of fixtures before the break, and Espart was expected to be unavailable for all three matches.

After the break, the schedule continued in November with matches against Villarreal, Sabah and Deportivo de A Coruna, and Espart was expected to be unavailable for those matches as well. The original post gave the same sequence of opponents after the break, and the source report matched that sequence. The November fixtures therefore extended the absence beyond the international break and kept Espart out for the full run of matches in that month.

Will Xavi Espart return in December for Barcelona

Barcelona are scheduled to face Celta Vigo, Manchester City, Malaga and Real Sociedad in December before the mid-season break, according to the source report. The original post pointed to a return around mid-December, and a return at that point would fall inside the December schedule. The source report was careful on the timing, and it said it remains to be seen whether Espart returns in time for any of those matches or will have to wait until 2027 to make a comeback.

How the absence adds to the Barcelona injury list in defence

The blow added to a growing list of absentees at Barcelona. Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen and Dani Olmo were already sidelined, according to the original post. The timing left Barcelona short of options in defence for a busy run of fixtures, and the loss of Espart removed another player from a defence that was already short of numbers. The list showed why the absence mattered beyond one player, because Barcelona faced the run with several options unavailable at the same time.

Frequently Asked Questions