Barcelona suffered a worrying blow during their clash with Elche. Midfielder Gavi was forced off before the end of the first half, going down and immediately asking to be substituted, in a scene that brought back memories of his previous serious injury.
The 44th minute brought his exit. Gavi sat down on the pitch, removed his shin guards, then placed his hand on his right knee and signalled that he could not continue, prompting Hansi Flick to send on Pedri in his place minutes before the interval.
His manner of departure heightened the concern within Barcelona. The area he was complaining about was the same right knee in which he suffered his serious injury in November 2023, when he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and damaged the lateral meniscus.
Nobody yet knows the nature of the new injury, so Barcelona are treating the situation with extreme caution given the player's medical history, and refusing to rush to any judgements about its severity.
Medical examinations will now determine the nature of the injury and how far it reaches. The club are waiting to find out whether it is merely a passing problem or a fresh blow that could keep him off the pitch for a while.
