Sport: Xavi Esparto's ankle injury worsened by Tchouameni challenge in El Clásico

According to reports from Diario Sport, Barcelona player Xavi Esparto was forced to leave the Spanish El Clásico due to a syndesmotic ligament injury in his right ankle. The club's medical report confirms he is expected to be out for approximately seven weeks.

Xavi Esparto lasted only 29 minutes in El Clásico at Camp Nou before he had to leave the field. He was already dealing with slight discomfort in his right ankle, but unfortunately suffered a strong collision with Tchouameni during the match that aggravated the injury.

The player was forced off the field due to severe pain. Medical examinations conducted at the training ground on Monday revealed very unfavorable results, with the club estimating a seven-week absence: "Examination results confirm that Xavi Esparto suffered a syndesmotic ligament injury in his right ankle due to a collision with an opposing player in the match against Real Madrid."

His absence will have a significant impact on upcoming matches. Pepe Conde also needs to recover from left ankle discomfort, which has already caused him to miss the previous two matches against Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.

Coach Flick had to deploy the underutilized Balde to cover for Xavi Esparto during his recovery from the right ankle injury. This Barcelona player clearly lacked match rhythm and was not in optimal form. Flick gave him an opportunity in a depleted Barça squad, and Balde tried his best, but the lack of playing time clearly affected his performance.

With Eric Garcia also sidelined, Barcelona is short on defensive resources on the right flank. Garcia will not return until after the international break. Flick has opted not to promote from the reserve team for this position, which is typically filled by Víctor.

Barcelona will host Deportivo Alavés in the league this Saturday as they return to action following their El Clásico defeat. The LaLiga standings are tightly contested, with Atlético Madrid two points behind and Real Madrid three points adrift. The match against Alavés at Camp Nou is crucial for maintaining first place, after which the team will travel to the Metropolitano Stadium before the international break.