Category: Injury update

Piqué and Puyol fit to play this weekend

Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique have returned to the Barcelona squad after injury in time for Saturday’s visit of Real Mallorca.
Pep Guardiola‘s side have had problems getting goals in their last two matches but have kept seven consecutive clean sheets in all competitions.

“Sometimes it could be a good thing to not be so precise in front of goal,” Guardiola said. “It may be good not to win by such huge margins because this confuses things. There is a tendency to think we will score lots of goals every game”.

Abidal joins injury list

Barcelona defender Eric Abidal damaged a hamstring in his right leg in his team’s win over Sporting Gijon and will be out of action for up to 10 days, the European champions said on Sunday.

The French international had to be substituted early in the second half of their 1-0 victory and is set to miss his country´s forthcoming Euro 2012 qualifiers against Albania and Bosnia.

Abidal joins Cesc Fabregas, who suffered a hamstring injury on Saturday, Andres Iniesta, Ibrahim Afellay and Alexis Sanchez in the Barca treatment room.

Puyol nears full fitness

Puyol told the Barcelona FCs official website: “I’m feeling better every day, but the recovery is slow. Everything is going little by little.

“As Doctor Cugat(who operated on him) put it, I’m not in charge here, it’s the knee that is.

“I’ve got no problems with my knee any more, I don’t know how long I’ll be before I’m back, but I want it to be as soon as possible, when I am fully 100%.

“Everybody who knows me will understand that I am really keen to get back. I’ve been a long time with this injury –six and a half months. I am really keen to get back”.

Barca midfielder Afellay out for five weeks with injury

Barcelona midfielder Ibrahim Afellay has torn a muscle in his left thigh and will be out of action for up to five weeks, the European champions said on Sunday.

The Dutch international picked up the injury in Barca’s 2-1 friendly defeat to Manchester United in Washington DC on Saturday, but will stay with the team as they continue their pre-season tour of the United States.

Afellay will miss the La Liga curtain-raiser against Real Madrid when the league champions take on King’s Cup winners in the Spanish Super Cup on Aug 14 and 17.

The Liga season kicks off on the weekend Aug 20-21, get your tickets here

Puyol to have knee surgery

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol will undergo surgery on his troublesome left knee on Wednesday.
The 33-year-old defender, who is unavailable for Spain’s friendlies against United States and Venezuela next month, missed most of the second half of the season due to injury.

He was left out of the starting 11 for Saturday’s 3-1 Champions League final victory over Manchester United but was given a run-out in place of Daniel Alves in the 88th minute.

Doctors Ricard Pruna and Ramon Cugat will brief the media after the operation, Barca said on their website.

Messi doubtful for Villarreal

Messi missed Argentina’s friendly with Costa Rica on Tuesday after pulling up with pain in the adductor muscle of his right leg during the warm-up in San Jose.

Argentina’s medical and coaching staff did not want to take a chance with Messi, who is set for a pivotal month of April with Barcelona.

The leaders face Villareal on Saturday then have two Champions League quarter-final legs against Shakhtar Donetsk as well as a double ‘Clasico’ against Real Madrid – in the league and final

Henry and Iniesta train with first team

Good news for FC Barcelona: Thierry Henry and Andres Iniesta trained with their teammates at the last training session before leaving for Rome for the Champions League Final on the 27th of May.

FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola is confident about getting back two of his key players for the Champions League final against Manchester United in 2 days. Thierry Henry and Andres Iniesta had an entire training session with their teammates, although the activity was not as challenging as the rest of the team. Thierry Henry was recovering from a blow to his right knee sustained on the 3rd of May against Real Madrid, while Iniesta tore his right thigh muscle on the 10th of May against Villareal.