Jordi Alba doubt for Clásico after muscle tear confirmed
Barcelona's veteran full-back is a major doubt for the clash with Real Madrid after he suffered a muscle tear in his right leg against Sevilla on Sunday.
As soon as he hobbled off the field yesterday during Barcelona’s game against Sevilla, Jordi Alba asked club medic Xavi Yanguas if he was going to be make the Clásico against Real Madrid at Camp Nou on 25 October.
Looking visibly concerned, Yanguas’ initial response was that it would depend on the extent of the muscle break, but, in principle, they would by no means rule it out. But after undergoing tests on Monday, it was confirmed that the veteran fullback has a tear in the biceps femoris in his right leg, meaning he must face the fact that his availability for the Clásico is very much up in the air.
Anxious moments for Jordi Alba ahead of Clásico
And with that diagnosis, the most optimistic estimate is that Jordi Alba will be able to return within three weeks – meaning he would miss the game against Real Madrid but would be available for Juventus.
Nevertheless, the club's medical team will see how his recovery progresses and have not yet ruled out the possibility of him returning on time for the Madrid clash.
Alba’s hamstring injury history
The problem is that Jordi Alba is a player with a history of hamstring injuries, both in the right and left legs. So Barcelona’s medical experts will not assume any unnecessary risk, while the player himself knows that he is susceptible to a relapse if he tries to rush his recovery.
What is certain at this point is that the 31-year-old defender will miss two games: the league encounter with Getafe and the Champions League opener against Ferencvaros. After that it will depend on the assessment of the medical team. But the dates of the Real Madrid and Juventus fixtures will be clearly marked in red on the calendar.