Andreas Christensen: soleus injury and possible absence for Barça-Elche

FC Barcelona could have a new injury casualty for matchday 11 of LaLiga, against Elche. According to 'RAC1', Andreas Christensen has suffered an injury to the soleus of his right leg, which makes him doubtful for Sunday's match in Montjuïc (18:30 CEST).

The Dane was ruled out of the Champions League match against Olympiacos due to a viral condition that led to gastroenteritis. Although the defender completed the two training sessions prior to the Clásico against Real Madrid, he was ultimately not included in Hansi Flick's squad list for the visit to the Santiago Bernabéu.

The player from Lillerod failed to fully recover from his stomach issues and missed his second consecutive game. In that sense, everything indicates that his absence on matchday 10 of the League had to do with problems in his right leg, which have led to a muscular injury.

How many games would Andreas Christensen miss with Barça?

If the injury to his right soleus is confirmed, Christensen could be out of action for 2 to 3 weeks. Dani Olmo returned from international duty with Spain with the same issue, and 2 weeks after his absence was confirmed, there is still no definite date for the return of the player from Terrassa.

Unlike Robert Lewandowski, Olmo is not yet training with the group and, while his return against Elche is not ruled out, there is also no certainty about his physical condition after the Clásico. The '20' was one of the 7 injury absences against Real Madrid, along with Andreas himself.

The Dane, for the moment, has 9 appearances (3 as a starter) with Flick's team this season. The 338 minutes he has played so far already exceed his playing time the previous year, when an Achilles tendon operation kept him out for almost 8 months. The '15' only played 259 minutes spread over 6 matches.

This summer, however, the 29-year-old was able to complete the preseason without any issues, and in the first two breaks of the 25/26 season, he played 4 games with his national team, performing at a good level. Flick considers him an important player as a substitute, but muscle problems continue to undermine his performance.

• In FC Barcelona Noticias we tell you every detail of the Barça actualidad and the evolution of all the injured players

Injuries threaten Christensen's continuity in Barcelona

Andreas Christensen training at Barça's Ciutat Esportiva

In that sense, although Andreas Christensen intends to renew and both the board and the coaching staff value his professionalism and dedication to the club, his future at Can Barça is in doubt.

The player from Lillerod ends his contract in June 2026 and his salary (around 12 million gross) may be a problem for the club's finances due to his continuous injuries. Christensen has 4 goals and 3 assists in 89 official matches with the Barça jersey.

Although he was never an undisputed starter, both Hansi Flick and Xavi Hernández considered him a reliable replacement in defense and midfield, whenever the defender managed to stay healthy. If his relapses continue, it is very likely that Barça will choose to let him go for free, just as he arrived from Chelsea in June 2022.