There won’t be any new faces in Barcelona’s squad for this weekend’s clash with Valencia. Neither Andreas Christensen nor Memphis Depay will be back on the list for La Liga trip to Mestallaas they still have not recovered from their respective injuries.
Their prolonged recoveries are a surprise; under normal circumstances, both players would now be back to availability.
Christensen out with ankle problem, Depay has hamstring injury
Christensen suffered an ankle injury in early October. Although Barca never offered a timetable for the Danish defender’s return, the summer signing was expected to last for three weeks. It’s been almost four weeks now and the 26-year-old still hasn’t reappeared.
Even more concerning is Depay’s injury layoff. The striker picked up a hamstring problem while on international duty with the Netherlands at the end of September, meaning he has now been on the sidelines for over a month.
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Araújo and Roberto absent until after the World Cup
The other two players in the Barça infirmary, Ronald Araújo and Sergi Roberto are not expected to return before the World Cup.
Indeed, the tournament in Qatar could be a factor in Christensen and Depay’s lengthy recoveries. A quick return carries the danger of a relapse which, at this stage, would inevitably dash a player’s hopes of going to Qatar. Because of this, there are suspicions within Barca that the pair are taking as much care as possible to avoid any risk.
Valencia vs Barcelona: When, how to watch
After suffering a second straight Champions League group stage exit on Wednesday, Barca travel to Valencia on La Liga Matchday 12 with the option of a tentative move closer to Real Madrid.
The game kicks off at Mestalla at 9pm local time (4pm ET / 1pm PT) on Saturday, October 29, 2022. Viewers in the United States will be able to watch live on the ESPN+ streaming service, while AS USA will provide minute-by-minute commentary of the game.
Madrid, who established a three-point lead at the top of La Liga by beating Barca in the Clásico earlier this month, travel to Girona on Sunday.
