Barcelona star ruled out for 'over a MONTH'... as alarming numbers show Xavi cannot do without him

Barcelona are preparing to go over a month without one of their key players and alarming numbers have shown they can ill-afford to go without him.

Xavi Hernandez's side have enjoyed a fast start to the season, and the LaLiga titleholders currently sit atop the table after six match days.

Saturday's tie against Celta Vigo saw them claw back a win from two goals down, after an efficient brace from Robert Lewandowski sparked a comeback capped by a late winner courtesy of Manchester City outcast Joao Cancelo.

But an injury to Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong will have cast a pall around the Blaugrana, as will news that the former Ajax player could be out for up to seven weeks.

De Jong was replaced by wonderkid Gavi during the first half of the home tie, and the club has released a statement confirming an injury to the 'tibiofibular syndesmosis in his right ankle'.

Whilst there is no specific timeframe for his recovery, the player's absence could spark concern for his head coach.

As per Spanish outlet Sport, Barca have won just six of the matches that De Jong has been unavailable for selection for since his 2019 move to Ajax.

The Dutchman has only missed 16 matches due to injury in total since his transfer across the four seasons he has spent in Catalonia, and without him, the side has registered seven draws and three defeats.

Over the ties, Barcelona have also struggled for goals, scoring just 18 over the ties where he has been unavailable for selection, whilst conceding 13.

The lion's share of the wins without the 26-year-old came in his first season, when he was struggling to settle into the side, with four wins and three draws coming during his seven absences.

De Jong was available for the entirety of the 2020/21 season, but in