Barcelona defender Xavi Espart faces seven-week absence after Clasico injury

Barcelona will be without Xavi Espart for approximately seven weeks after the defender suffered a right ankle injury during the 2-1 defeat by Real Madrid in the Clasico.

The Catalan club confirmed that medical tests had detected damage to the joint connecting the bones of the ankle. Espart sustained the injury after colliding with a Real Madrid player and will now begin a period of treatment and rehabilitation before he can return to training and competitive action.

Espart was forced to leave Spotify Camp Nou after only 29 minutes of the match. He had already been experiencing minor discomfort in his right ankle before kick-off, before a strong challenge by Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni aggravated the problem.

The injury adds to Hansi Flick’s concerns at right-back. Eric Garcia remains unavailable and is not expected to return before the international break, while Jules Kounde has been troubled by discomfort in his left ankle. That issue kept him out of Barcelona’s matches against Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.

With his options limited, Flick has used Alejandro Balde in the position during Barcelona’s past two matches. The manager has not yet given reserve-team player Guille Victor an opportunity to fill the role.

Barcelona are due to host Deportivo Alaves on Saturday before travelling to face Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano. They will then play Aston Villa in the Champions League.

The club will hope to resolve its injury problems quickly as it seeks to maintain its challenge during the next stage of the season.

Barcelona’s La Liga schedule also lists Deportivo Alaves on 31 October 2026, with Racing Santander and Real Madrid shown in the same fixture information. The listing also includes a La Liga date of 1 November 2026.