Barcelona concerned by knee injury picked up by star player, worried that issue may be worse than initially feared: Reports 

Barcelona are extremely concerned after Gavi picked up a knee injury and was unable to complete Friday's training session (August 29), as per Diario AS' Javi Miguel (h/t Barca Blaugranes). The injury appears to be more serious than initially deemed, with the Spaniard reportedly set to undergo further testing to determine the full extent of the injury.

While Gavi remains one of the most talented midfielders in Europe, he has been unfortunate with injuries in recent seasons. The 21-year-old suffered an ACL and meniscus tear in November 2023, resulting in his right knee being surgically repaired. However, as a result, he missed 45 games across all competitions and was sidelined for nearly an entire year.

Gavi has now picked up an injury to the same knee, which will cause a great deal of concern to the Barcelona faithful. The club officially released a statement on X, confirming this update:

"Medical Statement: Player Pablo Páez Gaviria, '𝐆𝐚𝐯𝐢', has discomfort in his right knee. He is out for Sunday's match against Rayo and his recovery will determine his availability"

FC Barcelona

@FCBarcelona_es

Comunicado médico ❗ El jugador Pablo Páez Gaviria, '𝐆𝐚𝐯𝐢', tiene unas molestias en la rodilla derecha. Es baja para el partido del domingo ante el Rayo y su evolución marcará su disponibilidad

He is now expected to miss the Blaugrana's next LaLiga fixture against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, August 31.

---

"It’s a difficult feeling to evaluate" - PSG boss Luis Enrique admits he is unhappy about being drawn against Barcelona in Champions League

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) boss Luis Enrique has admitted he is conflicted after his side were recently drawn against Barcelona. The latter are set to reunite with their former manager and Ousmane Dembele when the two sides clash later this season.

Luis Enrique managed Barcelona between 2014 and 2017, helping them win nine trophies, including the treble during the 2014-15 campaign. He also won 138 out of his 181 games in charge across all competitions, with an impressive win percentage of 76.24.

During the Toulouse pre-match press conference, Enrique told Mundo Deportivo (via Barca Universal):

“For me, it’s a positive and negative feeling. It’s nice to be back playing in Barcelona because it’s my home, and it’s great to play against them because they like to play good football, they’re attacking. But at the same time, if I speak from the heart, they’re the club that’s helped me the most, and I’m not very happy about playing against them. It’s a difficult feeling to evaluate."

The Blaugrana are set to face Chelsea, Newcastle United, Eintracht Frankfurt, Club Brugge, Olympiacos, Slavia Praha, and FC Copenhagen in the Champions League this season.