Barcelona injury blow: Ansu and Pedri injured again

The problems simply won't end at FC Barcelona. After being booted out of this year's Copa del Rey competition, It has been revealed that two of the club's promising young stars picked up injuries.

On Thursday, Barcelona visited Athletic Club at San Mames and were eliminated after losing 3-2 after extra time in their last-16 clash. Ansu, who was still being cautiously eased back into active competition, came in as a substitute in the 60th minute of the match. However, he failed to make a significant impact and was taken off in extra time after clearly feeling some discomfort. He was replaced by Sergino Dest, and was seen exiting straight down the tunnel clearly in distress.

According to Sport, the number 10 looked worried as he walked off the pitch, with this being another blow to his recovery. Ansu already spent nearly a year in recovery after picking up a major knee issue last season. He has made two attempts to return since then, but now it seems that his latest comeback will also be short-lived.

The last thing Xavi wants is to lose the young forward long-term, especially since he has limited capability to acquire players due to the club's financial problems. Meanwhile, Pedri has also just returned from injury and started the match on Thursday. He scored a the late equaliser to force extra time, but he also left the pitch just a few minutes later. It is still unclear if his knock is serious, or if it is related to his recent calf injury.

Barcelona''s medical team will be on top of the situation, but for now fans are worried about the squad's fitness for rest of the season. Apart from the injuries, some players are often at risk of being sidelined due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. With more players unavailable, Xavi will find it more difficult to lead the club back into the Champions League spots.