ACL injury: Barcelona's Gavi to miss rest of season

Barcelona's promising midfielder Gavi reportedly will miss the rest of the season after suffering a serious injury while on international duty with Spain. The midfielder suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during La Roja's Euro 2024 qualifier against Georgia on Sunday, reports said.

Gavi is expected to be out of action for a long period after he limped off the pitch during the match Spain won 3-1. The Spanish national team shared the 19-year-old's diagnosis with Barcelona, ESPN reported a source as saying. The defending La Liga champions's medical team diagnosed Gavi's right knee on Monday and confirmed that he will need surgery, the report added.

"Tests carried out on Monday morning on the first team player Gavi have shown that he has a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and an associated injury to the lateral meniscus," Barcelona said in a statement.

The date of the surgery was not finalised during the time of compiling this report. However, multiple media reports said that the teen sensation will undergo the procedure this week itself.

Gavi's availability for the Euro Cup and Olympics now remains under the scanner. 

"It looks like it's a serious injury. We are waiting for the definitive tests. He will go to Barcelona now with Albert Luque for further tests. We are destroyed," Spain coach Luis de la Fuente reportedly told the press after a visibly Gavi limped off the pitch alongside the medical team.

Albert Luque is the sporting director of Spain.