Barcelona’s Gavi set to miss rest of season with ACL injury

Barcelona midfielder Gavi is unlikely to play again this season after the Catalan club confirmed he tore his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for Spain on Sunday.

Gavi, 19, also suffered a lateral meniscus injury and will have surgery later this week.

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Barca will provide a timeline for his recovery from surgery, but Gavi is expected to miss the rest of the campaign and is also a major doubt for Euro 2024 and the Olympics with Spain next summer.

“Exams carried out on Monday on first-team player Gavi showed that he has a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and an associated injury to the lateral meniscus,” Barça said in a statement.

“The player will undergo surgery in the coming days, after which a further medical update will be issued.”

Gavi was forced off midway through the first half of Spain’s 3-1 win over Georgia after landing awkwardly while controlling the ball moments after a collision with Georgian Luka Lochoshvili.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said the incident with Lochoshvili was not injury-related.

Confirmation of the ACL tear has angered Barca, with sources telling ESPN the club felt it could have been avoided given Spain had already secured their place at Euro 2024 next summer .

Despite this, Gavi was one of only two players to start both of La Roja’s matches during the current international break, against Cyprus on Thursday and then in the win over Georgia in Valladolid on Sunday.

De la Fuente said the injury was “unfortunate” but was not due to Gavi overestimating.

“He was in perfect condition,” insisted De la Fuente after the match. “He hadn’t played before the international break because he was suspended, he was fresh and fit. There were no problems.

“We’re all broken, it’s like we lost the game in the locker room. There’s no explanation other than these things happen in life. This is the hardest day in this sport for me, the most bitter.”

Gavi has been a regular for Barca and Spain this season, having missed just two matches – both for his club – due to suspension. Only Marc-André ter Stegen and Ilkay Gündogan have played more minutes for Barça.

His importance to Xavi Hernández’s Spanish champions has increased due to long-term injuries to Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, with the manager calling him the “heart and soul of the team”.

Sources also point to the role he plays in the locker room, bridging the gap between the team’s veterans and up-and-coming youngsters, despite still being a teenager himself.

De la Fuente said Gavi didn’t think such a serious injury could happen to him.

“Gavi is broken, destroyed,” he said. “He didn’t think these things could happen to him. When it’s never happened to you before, you may think you’re not vulnerable, but we are very fragile.”

Barca return to action this Saturday against Rayo Vallecano and, despite the loss of Gavi, they were boosted by the return of Pedri just before the international break. De Jong is also expected to make his comeback this weekend.

Xavi’s side will next face Porto, Atlético Madrid and surprise La Liga leaders Girona at home in three potentially season-defining matches.