Spanish giants FC Barcelona have, on Thursday, confirmed some altogether discouraging news on the personnel front.

The player set for a spell on the sidelines? Gerard Pique.

For those not aware, veteran stopper Pique was forced to limp out of Barca’s most recent outing, when Xavi Hernandez’s troops welcomed RCD Mallorca to the Camp Nou for a La Liga clash.

The 35-year-old, after making his way from the field of play, could be seen clutching at the upper part of his left leg, sparking immediate concerns of a potential stretch on the treatment table.

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Gerard Pique in action during the UEFA Europa League Quarter Final match between Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Barcelona at Football Arena Frankfurt on April 07, 2022 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)

And, as alluded to above, as much has this afternoon been confirmed.

As per an announcement across the Blaugrana’s social media platforms, Pique has ‘suffered a flare-up of the tendinopathy affecting the adductor longus muscle in his left thigh’.

The defender, as a result, is simply labelled as ‘out’.

Betis test

Pique’s thigh issue of course means that the Barca icon is set to sit out the club’s next outing, when the Catalan giants return to action this weekend.

Fresh off the back of a return to winning ways at the expense of the aforementioned Mallorca, Xavi and co. will make the trip to the Estadio Benito Villamarín, for a La Liga showdown with Real Betis.

The Blaugrana head into the clash sitting 2nd in the Spanish top-flight, albeit a full 15 points adrift of arch rivals Real Madrid, officially crowned as champions last weekend.

 

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