Xavi Espart out about seven weeks with ankle injury from Clásico challenge

Diagnosis and club statement

Barcelona announced on Monday, 26 October that defender Xavi Espart will be sidelined for about seven weeks after injuring the syndesmosis in his right ankle. The club said tests had confirmed the diagnosis, which followed an accidental contact with an opponent during Sunday's Clásico against Real Madrid. According to The New York Times, the 19-year-old graduate of the La Masia academy has started nine matches across La Liga and the Champions League this season. The club's statement on the injury read as follows.

“The tests have confirmed that Xavi Espart suffers an injury to the syndesmosis of the right ankle as a result of a traumatic action with an opposing player.”

How the injury happened

Espart was taken off around the 30th minute of the match at the Camp Nou, which Real Madrid won 2-1, after feeling discomfort in his ankle and going to the floor. Alejandro Balde came on in his place, and reports put the exit at minute 29 or 30 depending on the outlet. LaVanguardia reported that the club's reference to a rival player was aimed at the French player Aurelien Tchouaméni. The same outlet described Tchouaméni going to ground with force to win the ball, with the momentum of the challenge making contact with Espart's right leg. Real Madrid protested that there had been no foul, while Barcelona players asked referee Martínez Munuera for a yellow card he did not show.

Squad depletion

Jules Koundé is doubtful for the next match after an ankle sprain, having been unable to train before the Clásico, according to El Periódico and El Confidencial. Eric Garcia has a muscle injury in the right rectus femoris, with an initial recovery estimate of three to four weeks. Andreas Christensen is out with a quadriceps muscle injury. Dani Olmo picked up an adductor injury in the match against PSG and is expected to be back in about a month. Roony Bardghji is recovering from a cruciate ligament injury, with a return planned for 2027.

Table and fixtures ahead

Hansi Flick's side now have a thinner back line, and according to The New York Times, the expected timeframe would rule Espart out of nine first-team games. Those games include the league trip to Atlético Madrid in November and the Champions League matches against Aston Villa and Manchester City. Sunday's defeat cut Barcelona's lead at the top of La Liga over second-place Atlético to two points, with Real Madrid one point further back. Barcelona's winning start to the season had ended five days before the Clásico, with a 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Result and scorers

Real Madrid, coached by José Mourinho, won the Clásico 2-1. Kylian Mbappé scored both Real Madrid goals, while Raphinha scored Barcelona's only goal, according to SAPO. Espart is mainly a left-back who has also played at right-back and is comfortable in defensive midfield, and he was one of Barcelona's best players before he left the pitch. His absence adds to a list of defensive and midfield absences that Flick must now manage through the coming weeks.