Barcelona hit by another injury blow as Pedri suffers hamstring tear
Barcelona’s growing injury crisis has taken another major hit, with midfield star Pedri ruled out for several weeks after sustaining a hamstring tear in the aftermath of the club’s El Clasico defeat to Real Madrid.
The 22-year-old, who has been a central figure under Hansi Flick, was diagnosed with a tear in the distal biceps femoris muscle of his left thigh.
Barcelona confirmed the injury in an official statement, noting that his recovery timeline “will depend on his progress.”
Pedri, who appeared exhausted during the 2-1 loss to Madrid, sat out training the following day as medical assessments confirmed the extent of the damage.
Having featured in all 13 competitive fixtures this season and clocked over 1,000 minutes, the midfielder’s heavy workload is believed to have contributed to the setback.
He was already due to miss the weekend clash against Elche through suspension but will now also sit out the Champions League tie with Club Brugge and La Liga encounter versus Celta Vigo, with reports suggesting he could be sidelined for up to three weeks.
Flick faces mounting selection crisis
Pedri’s absence compounds an already dire situation for Flick, with Raphinha, Gavi, Ter Stegen and Andreas Christensen also unavailable.
Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal, Jules Kounde, and Ferran Torres are still managing lingering fitness issues, leaving the German coach with limited depth, especially in midfield.
Barcelona have lost form in recent weeks, suffering damaging defeats to Paris Saint-Germain, Sevilla, and Real Madrid, and now trail Los Blancos by five points in La Liga.
Flick is expected to turn to academy graduates Marc Casado, Marc Bernal, Fermin Lopez, and Dro Fernandez to fill the creative void left by Pedri.
Pressure mounts as fixtures pile up
With key players out and results slipping, Flick faces increasing scrutiny as he tries to stabilise Barcelona’s season ahead of the November international break.
While Robert Lewandowski, Joan Garcia, and Dani Olmo are close to returning, their availability is unlikely to offset Pedri’s absence, a player widely regarded as the heartbeat of Barcelona’s midfield.
If recovery goes smoothly, Pedri could return after the international break for crucial fixtures against Athletic Club and Chelsea.
However, given his injury history, Barcelona’s medical team is expected to adopt a cautious approach to avoid a relapse.
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