Barcelona Youngster Sidelined Until Late December Following El Clasico Injury

Barcelona full-back Xavi Espart suffered a right ankle injury during last night's 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in El Clasico, the club have confirmed. The promising youngster was forced off in the 30th minute and replaced by Alejandro Balde following a heavy challenge from Aurelien Tchouameni.

The Catalan outfit also revealed that Espart faces around seven weeks on the sidelines. The 19-year-old Spaniard is set to miss at least nine games, with his earliest potential return being the final fixture of 2026—a home clash against Real Sociedad on December 20. He has featured nine times for Barca across all competitions this season, chipping in with two goals and two assists.