February 06, (THEWILL) -Barcelona captain, Sergio Busquets, has suffered a setback ahead of the team’s crucial match against Manchester United next week.
The 34-year-old midfielder was forced to leave the field early in Barca’s 3-0 La Liga victory against Sevilla due to a sprained ankle. A scan conducted on Monday, revealed that Busquets has a lateral collateral ligament sprain in his left ankle.
The injury is expected to keep Busquets out of action for at least two weeks, ruling him out of La Liga games against Villarreal and Cadiz, as well as the first leg of Barca’s UEFA Europa League knockout play-off round with United. The captain’s future at the club beyond this season is still up in the air, with head coach Xavi stating that Busquets will have the final say on whether he stays or leaves.
Despite Busquets’ injury, Barcelona continues to lead La Liga with an eight-point cushion over second-placed Real Madrid. The team will travel to Old Trafford for their match against United, before concluding their fixtures for the month with a trip to Almeria.
With the season heating up, Barca will be hoping to make the most of their current lead and secure a spot at the top of the league while nursing Busquets back to action soonest.
