Barcelona confirm worrying extent of Gavi's ACL injury

Barcelona have revealed that Gavi has suffered a complete tear of his ACL as well as an injury to his meniscus and is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Gavi was withdrawn 26 minutes into Spain's 3-1 win against Georgia in their final Euro 2024 qualifier on Sunday night after twisting his knee awkwardly, leaving the pitch in tears.

Initial reporting suggested the midfielder's injury was 'major', with Ferran Torres dedicating his second-half goal to his club and country teammate.

After leaving the Spain camp, Gavi returned to Barcelona to undergo scans and medical tests on the injury, with the club revealing the troubling extent of it on Monday.

«Tests carried out on Monday morning on the first team player Gavihave shown that he has a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligamentin his right knee and an associated injury to the lateral meniscus. The player will have surgery in the coming days after which a new medical update will be released,» Barcelona said in a statement.

Barcelona ended the statement with an open invitation for supporters to send messages of love and support to fan-favourite Gavi.

«The Andalusian midfielder is a firm favourite amongst the fans. Gavi's spirit and determination on the field are what defines him as a player and he gives absolutely everything in a Barca shirt. For that reason his injury is a big blow for all Barca fans and so here is a chance to send him a message of support,» they added.

The news comes as a bitter blow to La Blaugrana, who are currently struggling in their bid to retain their La Liga title, heading into the November international break four points adrift of surprise leaders Girona and two points behind Real Madrid.

Gavi is now facing a race against time to return this