Barcelona Blow as Gavi Faces Months on the Sidelines

Barcelona have been dealt a major setback with the news that midfield star Gavi could be out for up to five months following knee surgery.

The 21-year-old Spaniard, who featured in Barça’s first two games of the season, injured his right knee during an August training session, sparking fears of another anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) nightmare after his 2023 setback. Fortunately, scans showed he had avoided a repeat ACL tear—but he was forced to undergo an operation to repair cartilage damage.

“Gavi has undergone an arthroscopy to treat a medial meniscus injury, which was sutured to preserve the meniscus,” the club confirmed in a statement. “The estimated recovery time is around four to five months.”

Since bursting onto the scene in 2021 as the fourth-youngest debutant in Barcelona history, Gavi has become a cornerstone of the squad. In just 155 appearances, he has already scored 10 goals and lifted five trophies, underlining his immense influence on Xavi’s side.

This latest blow comes less than a year after his ACL tear while on international duty with Spain in November 2023, an injury that sidelined him for 11 long months.

Barcelona, currently sitting second in La Liga, trail arch-rivals Real Madrid by five points but still have a game in hand. With Gavi now ruled out for a significant stretch, Barça face the challenge of maintaining momentum without one of their brightest young stars.