Barcelona’s Battle Against Injury Woes Ahead of El Clasico

Barcelona has been facing a streak of unfortunate injuries among several of their first-team players in recent weeks, creating a challenging situation for the squad. One such casualty was Frenkie de Jong, who suffered an ankle injury in a match against Celta Vigo back in September.

Initially, De Jong was expected to be sidelined for five weeks, raising hopes that he might be available for the first Clasico of the season, set to be held at the Olympic Stadium this weekend.

However, recent weeks have seen growing speculation about De Jong’s fitness, along with the statuses of other key players like Pedri, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha. Unfortunately, it has been confirmed that De Jong will not be available for Saturday’s match, as reported by Sport.

This development leaves Barcelona’s head coach, Xavi Hernandez, with a limited midfield selection, comprising Oriol Romeu, Ilkay Gundogan, Gavi, and Fermin Lopez. While the situation is less than ideal, the Catalan club still possesses a formidable squad, and their strength and determination may prove crucial in securing a victory over their Clasico rivals.