Barcelona attacker Dani Olmo is set to be sidelined until 2026 with the shoulder injury that he suffered during Tuesday's La Liga contest with Atletico Madrid.
A recent injury for Fermin Lopez had opened the door for Olmo to come back into Barcelona's starting side, and the Spain international hit a brace against Alaves in La Liga last weekend, before also registering in the 3-1 success over Atletico.
However, after scoring to make it 2-1 to Hansi Flick's side in the 65th minute of the clash with Atletico, Olmo fell awkwardly on his shoulder.
The 27-year-old had to be replaced, with Marcus Rashford entering the field, and Flick confirmed after the match that Olmo had suffered a shoulder problem.
According to AS, the Spaniard suffered a dislocated shoulder, which will mean a recovery period of at least four weeks, although the extent of the damage will become clearer once the forward has undergone a scan.
© Imago / Pressinphoto
Olmo suffers shoulder injury in impressive Barcelona win
Olmo previously suffered a dislocated shoulder during his time at RB Leipzig, so there is a weakness in the area, and the first instance of the injury kept him out for two months.
Barcelona are allegedly expecting the attacker to be sidelined for the next four weeks, although the recovery would be longer if any further issues are shown.
Olmo had largely struggled for performances this season before two standout displays against Alaves and Atletico, so the injury is a real setback at this stage of the campaign.
Barcelona will play another four matches before the winter break in Spain, facing Real Betis, Osasuna and Villarreal in La Liga, in addition to a Champions League contest with Eintracht Frankfurt on December 9.
Olmo could potentially return for the La Liga clash against Espanyol on January 3, although much will depend on the outcome of Wednesday's scan.
Barcelona 3-1 Atletico: Flick "very proud" of Catalan giants
Barcelona boss Flick said that he was "very proud" of his side for their performance against Atletico, who had brought a seven-game winning run into the match.
"It’s always great to gain confidence against a team as good as Atletico," said Flick. “This was the step forward I was looking for. We played very well today, we improved a lot in every aspect.
"Atletico controlled the first three, four, or five minutes, but then we took control. We could have scored the penalty too. But we didn’t give up. I’m proud of what I saw.
“We’ll see if this is a turning point. I think it was one of our best matches; I really liked what I saw in the 90 minutes. We deserve the three points. We’ve taken a step forward, and now we have to play against Betis, who are a great team. We have to try to win."
Barcelona are four points clear of second-placed Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga table, with Los Blancos in action against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday night.