Barcelona make decision on Ansu Fati injury crisis

FC Barcelona were devastated when Ansu Fati picked up another injury earlier this season,, but it has now been revealed that they are not going to rush him back even if it means that he might play no part in their bid for a Champions League spot.

The Blaugrana have put a priority on finishing the season in the top four of La Liga in order to get themselves back in the UEFA Champions League. They endured a lot of embarrassment after being dropped down to the Europa League, and manager Xavi Hernandez is determined to put his team back where they belong.

However, the absence of Fati has been seen as a major blow for the club. The youngster was hailed as Lionel Messi's potential successor after he inherited the number 10 shirt, but he has unfortunately spent more time in the treatment room than on the pitch in the past two seasons.

He missed almost ten months from 2020-21 after picking up a knee injury early in the campaign, and has not been able to make a steady comeback since. He has been suffering setback after setback, and now the club thinks it is best to allow him the time to fully recover.

He decided against surgery this time around, after the trauma of a lengthy absence after his first time under the knife. He is opting for a more conservative approach, and the club is also keen on letting him take the time to strengthen his damaged hamstring.

Diario AS reports that Barcelona have resigned themselves to relying on their current squad, and are not banking on Fati's return in the coming weeks. He is already certain to miss the Europa League second leg against Napoli, but there is still an all-important El Clasico on March 20.

Despite the importance of the clash against Real Madrid, Barcelona are not counting on risking the young forward. He will be required to train normally for at least three weeks before being eased into competition. They are still hoping to have him back in the closing stages of the season, when they will likely be fighting to secure one of the top four spots. If he does not feel well enough, then they would rather see him recover fully than take a premature risk.

The club's moves during the winter transfer window clearly showed that they wanted to reinforce the attack after losing Sergio Aguero and Fati. New arrivals Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ferran Torres have already made an impact in the forward line, while other players have also stepped up in recent weeks.