Gavi will be out until 2026: Barcelona confirms the worst fears

FC Barcelona will not be able to count on Pablo Páez Gavira, Gavi, for the remainder of 2025. The arthroscopy to which the midfielder was subjected on Tuesday required a suture to preserve the right meniscus, according to the medical report offered by the club. Doctor Joan Carles Monllau, the same one who operated on him at the end of 2023, was in charge of the procedure.

In that sense, upon verifying the delicate state of the internal meniscus, Barça has confirmed the 21-year-old player's absence for the next four or five months, depending on his evolution in the weeks to come. Thus, the '6' could reappear in mid-February, approximately, just four months before the 2026 World Cup.

𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓

The first team player Pablo Páez Gavira '𝐆𝐚𝐯𝐢' has undergone arthroscopy to solve the injury to the internal meniscus. It has been sutured in order to preserve the meniscus. The recovery time is estimated at... pic.twitter.com/CnhDrHCbPY

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) September 23, 2025

The player from Los Palacios y Villafranca was injured on Friday, August 29, in a training session prior to the match against Rayo for matchday 3 of LaLiga. Previously, he had played 21 minutes in the thrashing against Mallorca (he gave an assist) and the entire second half in the comeback against Levante (2-3).

Gavi's right knee revives the ghosts with Ansu Fati

During the preseason, the Andalusian performed at a high level, adding 3 goals and 1 assist in the 144 minutes he played in 4 friendlies played in the summer. Gavi seemed to have completely overcome his problems in his right knee, the same one that broke with Spain in November 2023. However, the meniscus has deteriorated again.

At the time, the '6' suffered a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament and an associated injury to the lateral meniscus of the right knee. Now, the internal meniscus has been affected. For this reason, it was expected that the arthroscopy would allow the area to be cleaned, giving him a recovery time of about 5 weeks.

Gavi, on the bench of the Ciutat de Valencia Stadium.

However, the prognosis has confirmed the worst fears. Gavi's meniscus required sutures and, therefore, we must wait at least 4 months for the area to finish healing. Afterwards, the physical load on the field will be activated to assess the moment in which the midfielder is in a position to play again.

In Can Barça, meanwhile, all the alarms are activated regarding the recovery of the youth squad player. The club already suffered a scenario of consecutive injuries with Ansu Fati's left knee and the club will do everything possible to avoid a similar case.

Gavi KO: immediate impact on Flick's Barça

And the injury is a tremendous blow for the player, since the Andalusian had returned to the National Team (he was called up for the September FIFA date) and was emerging as a fixture in Luis de la Fuente's squad for what would be his second World Cup.

Now, not only is the World Cup at risk, but also his career. If the meniscus does not fully recover, Gavi could suffer new future injuries that radically compromise his performance. Even more so considering his style of play, always at the limit of intensity and without hesitation when it comes to covering ground and clashing with his rivals.

Without the 21-year-old player, Hansi Flick loses a key asset for his rotation plan in the center of the field. Few midfielders can run as much as the '6' and, in addition, step into the area with ownership.

Now, the responsibility of relieving Pedri will fall on Marc Casadó, while Marc Bernal, little by little, must also add minutes as an alternative to Frenkie de Jong. Eric García and Andreas Christensen themselves can also lend a hand as pivots in case of emergency.

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