Barcelona: Ansu Fati decides not to undergo surgery - what games will he miss?

Ansu Fati has gone against the advice of Barcelona's medical team and decided not to undergo surgery to remedy a presistant leg injury. The club confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that the teenager will undergo a non-intrusive course of therapy rather than go under the knife for the fifth time in under a year and a half.

The 19-year-old fell injured five days ago during the Copa del Rey Last 16 defeat to Athletic Club at San Mamés, in what was just his second appearance after returning from a two-month spell on the sidelines with a hamstring problem.

"The first team player Ansu Fati will follow a conservative recovery plan for the injury to the proximal tendon in his left hamstring" a Barcelona statement read. 'His recovery will dictate his return.'

Ansu's call

Barça's medical department felt it would be wiser for Ansu to undergo surgery. They put him in the hands of one of the world's leading orthopedic specialists, Dr. Lasse Lempainen, to put his mind at rest and assured that if he opted for surgery, the length of time he would spend out of the game would be under three months.

But perhaps the traumatic experience of undergoing four operations in six months to trim a ruptured meniscus made him feel hesistant about another trip to the operating table. For now, he will begin a non-surgical course of action - Barça medical staff estimate that he will be out of action for between eight and 10 weeks.

While he is on the mend, Ansu will miss Barça's LaLiga games against Atlético Madrid, Espanyol, Valencia, Athletic, Elche, Osasuna, the Clásico against Real Madrid on 20 March and probably the following game against Sevilla. He will also miss both legs of the Europa League playoff tie against Napoli