Barcelona have been dealt a significant setback in defence with the news that Xavi Espart is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines. The young full-back suffered a serious ankle injury during Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid and is not expected to feature again until 2027.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has revealed that Raphinha asked to be substituted moments before Real Madrid scored their late Clasico winner. The Brazilian attacker, who had been struggling with a recent injury issue, completely ran out of energy during the closing stages of the match.