Injury update: Joao Felix out for nearly four weeks, will miss first leg of Napoli vs Barcelona
Barcelona issued an update yet another medical update today after training, confirming that Joao Felix had picked up a sprain in his ankle. The Portuguese is the second attacker to pick up an injury at this point, with Raphinha also out with a hamstring issue.
According to an update issued by Toni Juanmarti right now, Felix’s injury is not very serious, but he is still expected to be sidelined for at least a month. His recovery will determine his availability, but it seems unlikely that he will be ready before that.
As such, Felix will miss the game against Osasuna tomorrow, Deportivo Alaves on the weekend, Granada at home on 11th, Celta Vigo on 17th, and most importantly the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Napoli.
It also seems unlikely that he will be back in time to face Getafe or Atheltic Club across the fortnight after the Napoli clash.
With Raphinha also out for another couple of week right now, Barcelona have just Ferran Torres available as their first-team winger.
Lamine Yamal is also an option, but the 16-year-old has played nearly 300 minutes across the last week against Real Betis, Athletic Club, and Villarreal. He deserves to be rested before Barcelona have another case of Ansu Fati on their hands.
And as far as Felix is concerned, this injury could prove to be the final nail in his Barcelona coffin as his loan contract with the club expires in the summer. The 24-year-old has been far from impressive so far, scoring four and assisting two goals across 18 league appearances.
While not the worst output in the world, Atletico Madrid are likely to demand upwards of €70-75 million for his services, which is an outrageous quote given the context of the performances.
