Barcelona have suffered another blow with the news that key
midfielder Xavi will be sidelined for around two weeks through
injury.
The Spain international was substituted towards the end of
Sunday night's 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid and tests on Monday
revealed a thigh problem which, according to the Barca website, is
likely to keep him out for around 15 days.
Losing Xavi is a further setback for Barca, who also saw
midfielder Seydou Keita limp out of the Atletico match after just
five minutes with a hamstring injury that will see him missing for
up to four weeks.
Yaya Toure was already missing through injury, while another
midfielder, Sergio Busquets, picked up a yellow card at the Vicente
Calderon that means he will now have to serve a suspension.
Barca, whose defeat at Atletico was their first in the league
this season, face league matches against Racing Santander, Malaga
and Almeria in the next three weeks, as well as the first leg of
their Champions League last-16 tie with Stuttgart.
