Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen is expected to be sidelined for an extended period after suffering a partial ACL tear during training on Saturday.
The 29-year-old made his first start since September in Tuesday’s Copa del Rey match against Guadalajara, where he scored the opening goal in a 2-0 victory.
Unfortunately, Barcelona announced that he experienced an “unfortunate twist of the knee” during training, which will keep him out of Sunday’s LaLiga match against Villarreal and potentially for a longer duration.
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“Following the tests performed on the player, a conservative course of treatment has been decided upon,” the club stated in a brief announcement. “The timeline for the player’s recovery will depend on his progress.”
This injury is another setback for Christensen, who is set to become a free agent next summer. Over the past two years, he has struggled with injuries, making only six appearances in all competitions last season due to an Achilles issue and another calf injury earlier in the current season.
Prior to these recent troubles, the Danish centre-back made 74 appearances in his first two seasons with the club after joining from Chelsea on a free transfer, playing a pivotal role in Barcelona’s LaLiga triumph in the 2022-23 season. Christensen’s injury now leaves Barcelona with a shortage in central defense, as Ronald Araújo is also currently unavailable due to mental health leave.
Pau Cubarsí and Gerard Martín, who has transitioned from a full-back, currently make up the preferred center-back pairing, but Jules Koundé and Eric García are additional options if needed.
This injury crisis may push Barcelona to explore the transfer market in January. Earlier this month, a source informed ESPN that, assuming Araújo is fit to return in 2026, the club would not seek to make moves in the mid-season transfer window; however, Christensen’s injury could alter that plan.