Pedri sidelined as Barcelona face fresh injury setback

The 22-year-old Spaniard played the full 90 minutes in the Clasico before tests confirmed a tear in the distal biceps femoris muscle of his left leg.

"The approximate recovery time will depend on the evolution of the injury," Barcelona said in a statement. Early assessments suggest a three-week layoff, though reports in Spain indicate it could stretch to four or five weeks.

Pedri's setback comes at a demanding point in the season, with La Liga fixtures against Elche and Celta Vigo and a Champions League trip to Club Brugge on November 5 on the horizon.

If his recovery takes longer, he could also miss Athletic Club, Chelsea, Alaves, and Atletico Madrid after the international break. He would have missed Elche regardless, due to suspension following his red card in the Clásico.

This is Pedri's first muscle injury since July 2024, when he was forced off in Spain's Euro 2024 quarter-final against Germany.

Since then, he had appeared in 49 consecutive matches for club and country, missing only one due to illness. His latest issue, however, revives concerns about the handling of his fitness after two injury-hit seasons.

Pedri joins Joan García, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Gavi, and Raphinha on the sidelines, though Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo have returned to training.

Barcelona sit second in La Liga, five points behind Real Madrid, and will hope the international break allows their influential midfielder to return without further setbacks.