Andreas Christensen is expected to miss the final Clasico of the season after Barcelona confirmed he suffered a calf injury while playing for the national team.
The centre-back started the first Euro 2024 qualifier against Finland on Thursday but only lasted 18 minutes before being forced off the pitch.
Barcelona revealed it was a problem with his left calf on Saturday following widespread media reports that he had spent a spell on the sidelines.
While the club has not given a timeline for Christensen’s return, simply stating that he is “not available for selection and his recovery will determine his return”, they reportedly expect him to be out for up to a month.
MEDICAL NEWS | First-team player Andreas Christensen’s tests on Saturday showed he had a left calf injury. He is unselectable, and his recovery will determine his return. pic.twitter.com/jElgZP7pVw
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 25, 2023
He could therefore miss as many as six games – among them, most notably, the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Madrid on April 5, when Barcelona hosted Los Blancos, beating them 1-0 at Santiago. Bernabeu” in the first leg.
The other five games where he can be in doubt are in La Liga, although Barça are likely to feel that their 12-point lead at the top level is enough to manage without him for now.
Recently, however, Christensen has become a prominent figure at the Camp Nou.
Following a free transfer from Chelsea in pre-season, the 26-year-old was initially a minor figure, having made only five appearances in La Liga before the World Cup, due in part to injury.
But he only missed one of their 10 games in all competitions before this international window – it was the first match against Madrid.