Alejandro Balde suffers new hamstring injury. How long will he be out?

FC Barcelona has issued an Official Statement with bad news for Hansi Flick, Alejandro Balde, an undisputed promise of the left-back of Fútbo Club Barcelona, has suffered a new injury to the hamstring of his left leg during training this Tuesday. The medical report points to an estimated absence of between 15 days and three weeks, although his evolution will mark the definitive deadlines. The player has a worrying recurrence of injuries in the same area.

Alejandro Balde injured again: chance or symptom of something deeper?

FC Barcelona issued a new medical report this Tuesday that many feared reading: Alejandro Balde suffers an injury to the hamstring of his left leg. According to the club, the left-back will be out for between 15 days and three weeks, a period that will keep him away from the next league commitments and could compromise his presence in the decisive phase of the season.

So far, everything seems like a typical nursing news story. But when you scratch a little more, the echoes of the recent past appear: Balde's name has already resonated before in the club's medical offices... and too often.

Impact on the blaugrana calendar

Balde's absence will be felt, even if it is not long. Barça faces a stretch of the season in which every point counts, and although the young full-back has a replacement, (Gerard Martín and Jofre Torrent), his speed and depth on the wing are difficult to replicate.

Even more worrying is the accumulated psychological and physical impact: a footballer who begins to carry the invisible weight of fragility. The club will monitor his evolution day by day. If there are no complications, he could reappear in the second half of September. But, as always, the last word will be had by his hamstring... that muscle as discreet as it is decisive

The Barça youth player would miss ...

1. LaLiga J4 on September 14 against Valencia (At Home)
2. Champions J1 on September 18 against Newcastle (Away)
3. LaLiga J5 on September 20-21 against Getafe (At Home)

He could reappear in LaLiga J6 on September 23-24 against Oviedo (Away)

A treacherous muscle: the hamstring and its secrets

The injury affects the hamstring muscle, an old acquaintance —and not exactly friendly— for footballers. Located on the back of the thigh, this muscle has the bitter habit of getting injured just when it is most needed: in explosive sprints, in sudden braking, in moments of maximum demand.

Sudden pain, inability to run, audible snap. The signs are usually unmistakable, almost dramatic. As if the body were shouting: “We've come this far”. In Balde's case, the relapse in an already punished area reignites the alarms.

Recent history: when the past does not allow progress

This is not an isolated injury. In fact, it could be said that it is the third installment of an unwanted saga:

• April 2025: injury to the same left hamstring during a match against Leganés. Result: out of the Copa del Rey final and several key league matches.

• January 2024: serious tear in the right hamstring tendon. Surgery in Finland and an absence of six months that cost him the season... and the European Championship.

Two consecutive years with serious muscle injuries, both in the hamstrings, including surgeries and prolonged absences. It is not a simple streak of bad luck; it is a pattern that worries the coaching staff and doctors alike.

How is the hamstring injured?

The hamstring is like that bicycle brake cable that you never know when it will fail... until it does. Its injuries can be classified into three grades:

• Grade I: micro-tear, mild discomfort, rapid recovery.

• Grade II: partial tear, bruising, severe pain, need for physiotherapy.

• Grade III: complete rupture, mandatory surgery and prolonged absence.

The causes vary: overload, fatigue, lack of warm-up, muscle imbalances. In footballers like Balde, whose game demands power and speed, the risk is multiplied.

Treatment and prevention: between ice and caution

In this case, the exact degree of the injury has not been specified, but the estimated time suggests a mild or moderate tear. The classic RICE protocol will be applied: rest, ice, compression and elevation, followed by physiotherapy and progressive work.

Of course, beyond immediate treatment, the big question is: how to prevent the next one?

Muscle strengthening, stretching programs, load control, and above all, caution. Sports medicine is advancing, but there is no science that cures impatience to return ahead of time.