Barcelona confirm Fermin Lopez's three-week absence due to thigh injury

The club has provided details on the nature of the injury and the expected recovery period.

The 21-year-old Lopez sustained the injury while on international duty with the Spanish Under-21 team this past Tuesday. The Spanish Football Federation disclosed the injury and subsequently named fellow Barcelona prospect Pablo Torre as Lopez's replacement in the squad.

Following an evaluation by Barcelona's medical staff, the extent of Lopez's injury and the anticipated recovery time have been confirmed.

"The tests carried out have shown that Fermin Lopez has a muscle injury in the anterior rectus of the left thigh. The approximate downtime will be around three weeks," the club's statement read.

Although there were hopes that Lopez might be fit to return immediately after the international break for Barcelona's match against Girona on September 15, it now seems likely that he will remain unavailable for additional days beyond that.

Lopez enjoyed a remarkable summer, securing the UEFA Euro 2024 title and winning a gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Despite this, he has not seen consistent playtime under coach Hansi Flick. Though it could have been beneficial for him to rest during the international break, Spain opted to call him up for Under-21 fixtures, resulting in his current stint on the sidelines.

Matches Lopez is Expected to Miss

Due to his injury, Fermin Lopez is set to miss several fixtures, including the match against Girona on September 15, as well as games against AS Monaco (September 19), Villarreal (September 22), and Getafe (September 25) at home.

Should his recovery proceed as expected, Lopez could make his return in the match against Osasuna on September 29. 

READ MORE: Report: Liverpool were keen on Victor Osimhen before transfer hit snag