Portugal's Kika Nazareth, a player for Barcelona's women's first team, will be sidelined for around four weeks after suffering a hamstring injury to the back of her left thigh.
The Catalan club confirmed the news on Monday in an official medical statement. Kika underwent examinations after returning from the training camp in Andorra, and they confirmed the extent of an injury that had kept her out of recent sessions with her team-mates despite her presence in the squad.
Estimated recovery period
Barcelona have set an estimated recovery period of four weeks. They stress, though, that this depends on the player's clinical and functional progress, so the actual return date may shift according to how her body responds to treatment and rehabilitation.
A fresh setback
This injury represents a fresh setback for Kika Nazareth. She had been building through pre-season, chasing the consistency that eluded her across her first two seasons at Barcelona thanks to recurring physical problems.
A serious injury ruled her out of the closing stages of the 2024-25 season. Other minor knocks last term limited her involvement too, denying her the chance to nail down a regular place in the side.
A new recovery journey
Now Kika must start the recovery process all over again and work her way back into the team's rhythm. Barcelona, meanwhile, are gearing up for a new campaign in which they hope to defend their domestic and European titles.
The Portuguese hopes this is the last time she has to battle her body. She wants to return strongly and rediscover the level she showed before the run of injuries that disrupted her career at the Catalan club.