Xavi Espart out around seven weeks with ankle syndesmosis injury as Barça defense thins

Barcelona teenage full-back Xavi Espart is expected to be sidelined for around seven weeks after injuring his right ankle syndesmosis during Sunday's Clásico defeat against Real Madrid. Tests conducted on Monday, October 26, confirmed the severity of the injury caused by a first-half collision. Espart, who had become a regular starter under manager Hansi Flick, could return around mid-December.

His absence adds to an expanding injury crisis for Barcelona's defense, which is already missing Andreas Christensen, Jules Koundé, and Eric García, alongside midfielder Dani Olmo. The setback comes at a challenging time for Barcelona, who lead LaLiga by just two points over Atlético Madrid and sit eighth in the Champions League phase.