Sergio Busquets to miss Manchester United trip through injury

By Feargal Brennan - 5 February 2023, 22:27

Barcelona's Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets is escorted off pitch after an injury during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Sevilla FC at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, on February 5, 2023. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP) (Photo by JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images)

Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets will miss their UEFA Europa League last 16 play off first leg away at Manchester United due to injury.

The veteran midfielder was substituted in the opening minutes of Barcelona’s 3-0 La Liga win over Sevilla as Xavi’s side moved eight points clear at the top of the table.

However, the victory came at a major cost for the Catalans, with their skipper set to potentially miss the remainder of February.

👉El entorno de Busquets habla de 2 o 3 semanas de baja. Faltan pruebas definitivas pero…Ojo el United… @carrusel

— Adrià Albets (@AdriaAlbets) February 5, 2023

Reports from Cadena SER claim he will miss between two and three weeks with Barcelona heading to Old Trafford on February 16.

Looks like Barça will lose Busquets as well as Dembele for #mufc tie, at very least for first leg at Camp Nou https://t.co/MEqY4zH5qK

— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) February 5, 2023

He will miss two league matches, either side of travelling to Manchester, with his participation in the second leg on February 23, under major risk.

Xavi is likely to remould his midfield in Busquets’ absence with Dutch star Frenkie de Jong expected to play as a lone midfield pivot until Busquets returns to the squad.

Images via Getty Images