BARCELONA
Barcelona injury update ahead of LaLiga game against Getafe: Gavi, Balde, Ferran Torres, Alonso…
Xavi has welcomed back key players for the LaLiga run in, where Barcelona could be involved in a title race.
Barcelona’s ongoing quest to rediscover their best form continues on Saturday when they take on Getafe in LaLiga at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Montjuïc. A win for Xavi Hernández’s side would see them move into second place above Girona and to within five points of league leaders Real Madrid, albeit temporarily, with the top two playing later in the weekend.
Barcelona unbeaten in five games despite below-par performances
Barça are undefeated in five games (three wins and two draws) since Xavi announced he would be stepping down at the end of the season following the 5-3 home defeat to Villarreal on 27 January. However, recent performances have remained underwhelming despite an upturn in results, with the head coach particularly critical of his team after the 3-3 draw against Granada at Montjuïc a couple of weeks ago.
Last weekend’s injury-time win over Celta Vigo, coupled with Madrid drawing at Rayo Vallecano, has enabled the Catalans to claw two points back at the top of the table, and eight-point deficits have been made up before in the final months of a LaLiga season (although it does feel unlikely at present).
Gavi and Balde to miss rest of the season, Torres and Alonso not ready to return
Xavi has a huge number of injury issues to contend with for most of the season, but the treatment room is currently less busy than it has been at other stages of the campaign.
Young midfield man Gavi will miss the remainder of the season - and almost certainly Euro 2024 - after rupturing his ACL while playing for Spain in November. Left-back Alejandro Balde looks likely to be in the same boat after undergoing surgery for a hamstring tear at the end of January.
Ferran Torres, who suffered a thigh injury against Osasuna three weeks ago, and Marcos Alonso, who hasn’t featured since November because of a back problem, should be available again in the next week or two but aren’t expected to face Getafe.
Both João Félix and Oriol Romeu came off the bench in the closing stages of Barcelona’s Champions League draw away to Napoli on Wednesday. The pair look to have come through their returns from injury unscathed and are again in contention to play.