Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez faces three more weeks on the sidelines after sustaining a thigh injury.
The 21-year-old sustained the issue in training with his club on Tuesday morning.
It was confirmed in a Barcelona statement that Lopez “suffered an injury to the rectus femoris muscle in his right quadriceps” and will be out of action for a sustained period. His latest setback will come as a blow, having also recently been sidelined for two weeks with a hamstring injury.
Lopez suffered that injury while on international duty with Spain’s Under-21 squad and subsequently returned to Barcelona to undergo assessment and begin his recovery period.
He has featured in three games for Barcelona this season, all as a substitute. He has not played since their 7-0 La Liga win over Real Valladolid on August 31.
A product of Barcelona’s La Masia academy, Lopez broke into the first team last season, scoring 11 goals in 42 appearances.
Lopez was also included in Spain’s European Championship squad, making a 28-minute substitute appearance in the group stage against Albania, following his debut in a friendly against Andorra earlier this year.
Barcelona also suffered a setback earlier this week, with new signing Dani Olmo set to miss between four and five weeks with a hamstring injury.
The Spain international was substituted off in the 61st minute of Barcelona’s 4-1 victory at Girona on Sunday with the injury, which is now expected to keep him out until late October.
Barcelona are next in action against Monaco in the Champions League on Thursday.
(Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
