Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has suffered a fresh injury setback before Sunday’s El Clasico against Real Madrid at Camp Nou in the 10th round of La Liga.
Spain international Dani Olmo was forced off during Barcelona’s 4-2 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday, raising concerns over his availability for the weekend’s meeting with their rivals.
Olmo left the Parc des Princes visibly frustrated and was seen holding his thigh. He was substituted in the 27th minute, with Fermin Lopez coming on in his place.
Spanish newspaper AS reported that initial assessments point to a tear in the muscle of Olmo’s left thigh. If confirmed, the injury would rule him out of the El Clasico and keep him sidelined for further matches afterwards.
Barcelona are expected to confirm the diagnosis and recovery period on Wednesday, when Olmo will undergo an MRI scan in the Catalan city. The Spain international’s examination will determine the extent of the damage and provide a clearer indication of how long he will be unavailable.
“If a tear is confirmed, the recovery period could be between four and five weeks,” AS reported.
Olmo’s injury is the third setback for Flick in a short period, following problems suffered by Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia in Barcelona’s previous La Liga match against Real Betis.
The latest absence would leave the Barcelona manager with another selection issue before the visit of Real Madrid. Olmo had started against Paris Saint-Germain but was unable to continue after less than half an hour, with his replacement Fermin Lopez completing the match after coming on.
Barcelona’s defeat in Paris ended with the French side scoring four goals, while the Catalan club managed two. The result was followed by the concern over Olmo’s thigh injury, with the timing particularly significant given that the El Clasico is scheduled for Sunday at Camp Nou.
The final medical assessment will therefore be awaited before Barcelona can establish whether Olmo has any chance of recovering in time. The initial report of a muscle tear, however, indicates that he is likely to miss the meeting with Real Madrid as well as other fixtures in the weeks that follow.
