Barcelona could be without Andreas Christensen for up to two months after the defender suffered another injury setback in Sunday's victory over Sevilla.
The Danish centre-back was forced off during the second half of the 3-1 win after appearing to hurt his left thigh during a challenge with the opposition striker.
Christensen was visibly frustrated on the bench, covering his face with his hands as the extent of the problem became clearer.
For Hansi Flick, the timeline of Christensen's return is quite problematic as Barcelona already have limited options at centre-back, and the latest setback could keep the senior defender out through a significant part of the autumn schedule.
Barcelona confirmed the nature of Christensen's injury following medical tests on Sunday, although the club stopped short of giving a recovery estimate.
In their official medical update, Barcelona said, "Tests have confirmed that first-team player Andreas Christensen has a left thigh strain."
Andreas Christensen could be out for two months. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images)
Initial estimates suggested Christensen could be unavailable for around four to six weeks, although Mundo Deportivo reports that sources close to the player fear the absence could ultimately stretch to around two months.
That would be a considerable blow for a player who has endured repeated injury problems in recent seasons and had hoped to establish greater continuity in Flick's defence.
For now, the ongoing international break does at least give Barcelona some breathing room. With no club fixtures during the window, Christensen can begin his rehabilitation without immediately missing matches.
A two-month recovery would nevertheless have major consequences for Barcelona's schedule.
As per the timeline, Christensen could miss eight matches in total – five in La Liga and three in the Champions League.
Christensen suffered the injury during 3-1 win over Sevilla. (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)
Among those fixtures are two of the most significant games on Barcelona's calendar: El Clasico and the meeting with Paris Saint-Germain.
For now, Barcelona's next three-week interruption comes between the Atletico Madrid clash on November 7-8 and the home game against Villarreal on November 21-22.
That Villarreal fixture could become a realistic target for Christensen if his recovery progresses as hoped.
There is also no immediate pressure from Denmark , with the defender expected to miss the upcoming international selections and potentially another break during his rehabilitation.
For Flick and even the player, patience will be essential, as Barcelona cannot afford to rush him back from another muscular problem, particularly with so much of the season still ahead.
