FC Barcelona plays its seventh game of the 2025/26 season this Thursday, September 25, with five players out due to injury. Hansi Flick's team visits Real Oviedo at the Carlos Tartiere Stadium (9:30 PM) with the absences of Marc-André ter Stegen, Gavi, Alejandro Balde, Lamine Yamal and Fermín López.

The player from Huelva was the last to join the Azulgrana infirmary, after suffering a muscular injury in the left iliopsoas in the final moments of the match against Getafe (3-0). In principle, the attacking midfielder will be out of action for three weeks, so he will return to play after the next international break, in mid-October.

Gavi will undergo surgery, Fermín also breaks down

Gavi during a training session at the Ciutat Esportiva.

Much less encouraging is the prognosis with Pablo Páez Gavira, Gavi. After three weeks of conservative treatment for discomfort in his right knee, the Andalusian had to undergo arthroscopy on the internal meniscus to clean the affected area after his serious cruciate ligament injury in November 2023.

After the arthroscopic examination, Barça confirmed that Gavi will be out for four to five months, as his right medial meniscus required stitching for preservation. Hopefully, the Andalusian will return to the pitch in February 2026.

The midfielder is now the second extended absence for the Blaugrana team, along with Ter Stegen. The German goalkeeper also underwent surgery to alleviate his back pain and will be sidelined until at least December of this year.

Fermín, for his part, also joins the list of injured players, although luckily his injury will not require any surgery. The player from Huelva was already out for 11 games in 24/25 due to muscular problems and, like Alejandro Balde, will spend about three weeks in dry dock.

As things stand, Barça's infirmary has, for the moment, five players before facing Real Oviedo:

  1. Marc-André ter Stegen: out due to lower back problems. The German will be out for at least four months, after undergoing surgery in July.
  2. Alejandro Balde: the full-back suffers an injury to the left femoral biceps and his return date is set for the last week of September.
  3. Pablo Gavi: pain in his right knee prevented him from playing in Barça's last four matches. After three weeks of conservative treatment, the club decided to perform arthroscopic surgery, which diagnosed a severe tear in the medial meniscus. The number 6 will be out for four or five months, until 2026.
  4. Lamine Yamal: the player from Mataró returned from the break with an injury to the pubis that has required a rest period of three to four weeks. The '10' hopes to be available next Wednesday, October 1, against PSG, for J2 of the Champions League.
  5. Fermín López: the player from Huelva suffered a muscular injury in the left iliopsoas against Getafe and will be out for around three weeks. With this, he would return after the October international break

Barça hopes to recover Balde and Lamine soon

Lamine Yamal and Alejandro Balde at the Joan Gamper 2025 Trophy

Although it is very difficult for him to reach the match against Oviedo, Álex Balde is the closest to returning to action with Barcelona. The full-back was injured training at the Ciutat Esportiva while the internationals were with their national teams and his time off was not revealed by the club.

However, as it is a femoral biceps injury, it is likely that the '3' will be out for three weeks, a period that ends this Wednesday 24, before the trip to the Carlos Tartiere Stadium. For the moment, he has missed three games (Valencia, Newcastle and Getafe), with Gerard Martín as his replacement.

The full-back suffered the same injury in the final stretch of last season and was out for a month, missing the Copa del Rey final and the Champions League 'semis' against Inter. With luck, he will be available next Sunday against Real Sociedad.

Lamine Yamal, meanwhile, is also expected to rest for around a month, his last game being Spain's thrashing of Turkey (0-6) on September 7. The '10' is ruled out against Oviedo and is not expected to return against Real Sociedad either, but he is expected to return against PSG in the Champions League.

In any case, everything will depend on his evolution in the coming days. As it is pubalgia, Barça does not want to take any risks and has preferred to give him rest after the last break. His discomfort in the area started in the match against Levante (2-3) and worsened after playing infiltrated with La Roja.