According to Varzesh3, Xavi Espart, who despite lingering ankle pain had been named in the El Clasico starting line-up, was injured right at the start and left the pitch.
Xavi Espart, the 19-year-old defender of Barcelona, tonight during El Clasico suffered a bitter injury and could not finish the big game. His injury undoubtedly made the crisis in the defensive line of Hansi Flick deeper than before.
Barcelona tonight host Real Madrid at Camp Nou in circumstances where Flick's hand in the defensive line was completely tied. The absence of Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia and Andreas Christensen forced the German coach to trust the young Espart once again. A player who a few days earlier against Paris Saint-Germain had also felt discomfort in his ankle and about whose reaching this match there had been doubts.
Espart, despite these concerns, went onto the pitch from the start, but his presence on the pitch did not last long. In the 29th minute of the match, the young Barca defender fell to the turf after a collision with Aurelien Tchouameni and it immediately became clear that he could not continue the game. The technical staff did not delay either, and Alejandro Balde quickly took his place on the pitch.
This injury is a serious alarm bell for the Catalans. Espart had also been substituted against Paris Saint-Germain because of ankle pain, but the team doctors had hoped he would get through the battle with Real without a problem, something that did not happen, and Barca lost another of their defensive elements in the most sensitive battle of the season.
Espart in recent weeks had become one of the trusted elements of Flick's line-up, and even before the game the Barca coach had praised the fighting spirit of this 19-year-old defender. From now on, Barca await the medical staff's report to determine for how long the young star will be away from the pitch.
Source: Varzesh3
