Barcelona were facing an injury crisis as well as a results crisis on Sunday after defenders Gerard Piqué and Sergi Roberto were ruled out for significant periods following injuries sustained in Saturday's 1-0 LaLiga defeat by Atlético Madrid.
A Barça medical report said veteran centre back Piqué, who limped off the pitch in the second half in tears, had sprained the internal lateral ligament in his right knee as well as sustaining a partial injury to the anterior crucial ligament. The statement did not state how long Piqué would be out for but reports in the Spanish media estimated he would be out for between three and five months.
Right back Sergi Roberto, meanwhile, ruptured a muscle in his thigh and would be out for two months, added Barça.
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Tests carried out this Sunday on @3gerardpique have shown that he has a grade 3 sprain in the internal lateral ligament and partial injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. The evolution of the injury will condition his availability. pic.twitter.com/0Bf0EnXiZo— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 22, 2020
The loss of the two defenders add to previous injuries to Samuel Umtiti and Ronald Araújo and leave coach Ronald Koeman with only three defenders (Clément Lenglet, Jordi Alba and Sergiño Dest) available for Tuesday's Champions League trip to Dynamo Kiev.
Barça will also be without forward Ansu Fati for the next four months after he underwent knee surgery earlier this month, while midfielder Sergio Busquets is out with a knee problem but is due back by the end of the month.
Yannick Carrasco's goal for Atlético inflicted a third defeat in eight league games on Barça, who are 10th in the standings, nine points adrift of second-placed Atléti and leaders Real Sociedad.
