Midfielder was left out of the squad against Rayo Vallecano due to discomfort and has now been ruled out of the next game
Barcelona are facing renewed uncertainty over the fitness of midfielder Gavi after the 21-year-old suffered further discomfort in his right knee.
The Spain international, who missed almost a full year following surgery on a torn cruciate ligament, is scheduled to undergo tests on Monday to determine the cause of the problem.
The repaired ligament is said to be stable but the midfielder has been struggling with persistent pain in recent weeks, according to sources close to the situation. The player will be examined over the next week to provide clarity on whether he can recover quickly or will face another long spell on the sidelines.
Gavi only returned to competitive action earlier this month and featured from the bench in Barcelona’s opening two league matches.
But he was left out of the squad against Rayo Vallecano as the discomfort worsened and has now been ruled out of the next game against Valencia.
Barcelona’s staff had been careful not to rush Gavi’s return after his long absence, making this setback particularly frustrating.
Head coach Hansi Flick rates the midfielder highly and will consider any further setbacks a huge blow.
