Barcelona have been dealt a surprise blow. Ibrahima Toungara, their 16-year-old talent, has suffered a serious ankle injury that will keep him off the pitch for around five weeks, just as he was gearing up for an important season with Barcelona Atlètic.
Toungara underwent medical examinations on Monday morning after limping out of Barcelona Atlètic's friendly against Vilanova. The results confirmed a recovery period estimated at around five weeks, according to "Mundo Deportivo".
Having wrapped up his involvement in the first team's pre-season, Toungara trained with the reserve team on Friday. He had turned plenty of heads over the past few weeks, with Hansi Flick handing him three friendly appearances on top of his outing in the Joan Gamper Trophy wearing the Barcelona academy shirt.
The timing could hardly be worse. The club had counted on him as one of the key players in the Barcelona Atlètic ranks this season, so he will now miss roughly the first five matches before becoming a candidate to return in early October.
Young as he is, Toungara caught Flick's eye during pre-season. The German coach came away impressed by his displays in training and in friendlies, reinforcing his standing as one of the most promising talents expected to edge closer to the first team.
Several European clubs had also tried to lure him away from Barcelona. Toungara and those around him held firm to the Catalan club's project, with Barcelona convinced he is one of the most prominent talents capable of reaching the first team.