Pedri out injured after El Clasico red card as Barcelona face fresh crisis

Barcelona have suffered another major setback as key midfielder Pedri has sustained a hamstring injury and is expected to face a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

The 22 year old picked up the injury following the 2-1 El Clasico defeat on Sunday, a match that ended in frustration for the Spaniard after he was sent off late on for a second yellow card following a challenge on Aurelien Tchouameni.

According to Diario AS, Pedri could be out for up to three weeks and is not expected to return until after the November international break. He will miss the upcoming fixtures against Elche, Club Brugge and Celta Vigo, and Barcelona will be hopeful he can recover in time for crucial games against Athletic Bilbao and Chelsea toward the end of next month.

Pedri’s injury has been attributed largely to fatigue. He has started all 13 matches this season and has already exceeded 1,000 minutes, more than any other Barcelona player. His workload reflects his importance, but it has come at a cost. He has continuously played for club and country. Hansi Flick should have rested him in some matches.

Barça’s injury list continues to grow, with Raphinha, Marc Andre ter Stegen, Gavi, Andreas Christensen, Dani Olmo and Joan Garcia all still ruled out. Lamine Yamal, Jules Kounde and Ferran Torres are not fully fit either after dealing with their own setbacks. Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski is edging closer to a return from a muscle issue and could feature against Elche.

The mounting absences have affected Barcelona’s form. They sit second in La Liga and have already suffered damaging defeats against PSG, Sevilla and Real Madrid. Sunday’s loss also ended their recent dominance in El Clásico, after winning all four meetings last season.

Pedri remains an irreplaceable figure for Barça, forming a vital partnership with Frenkie de Jong at the heart of midfield. In his absence, Hansi Flick is expected to look toward Marc Casado, Marc Bernal, Fermín López and Dro Fernández to step up.

Trailing Real Madrid by five points in La Liga, Barcelona need an immediate response — but now must do it without one of their brightest stars.