Barcelona dealt massive blow as injured player suffers relapse in training, unlikely to feature vs Real Madrid in Copa del Rey semi-final — Reports
Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele has suffered another setback on his road to recovery as he has succumbed to an injury relapse, as per reports (via @totcosta on Twitter).
The Frenchman has already been ruled out of Barcelona's upcoming El Clasico in La Liga (March 19), their fourth meeting this season with Real Madrid. He could now be set to miss the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals against Los Blancos as well, scheduled to be played on April 5 after the international break.
The French World Cup-winning winger is currently recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered in their 1-0 win over Girona in late January earlier this year. He has been sidelined ever since, and while his club were hopeful of Dembele returning for the fifth El Clasico of the campaign, it appears unlikely after his most recent injury relapse.
This comes as a massive blow to Xavi and his side's ambitions of winning the Copa del Rey, a trophy they are yet to win since Lionel Messi's departure from Catalunya. Dembele has had a massive impact on his club's campaign so far, having played a direct hand in ten goals in his 18 league appearances. The 25-year-old also notched two goals in as many appearances in the Copa del Rey.
While Dembele's injury relapse comes as an untimely update for Barcelona, they are set to be bolstered by the return of star midfielder Pedri. The prodigal Spaniard is expected to feature for Barcelona in the upcoming El Clasico.
Barcelona are believed to be working on extending Dembele's current deal, set to run out in 2024.
Barcelona to reinforce two key areas in summer
According to AS, reports from Spain claim that the cash-stricken Blaugrana will prioritize reinforcing the centre-forward and right-back areas of the squad this summer.
Brazilian sensation Vitor Roque, currently at Athletico Paranaense, is said to be Xavi and the Catalans' first choice to improve their attack. As for the full-back slot, the Spanish giants are set to test Villarreal's resolve once again by tempting them into a cash-plus-player deal for Juan Foyth.
The Yellow Submarine's tough-tackling Argentine is reportedly valued at a figure of €54M, which could potentially prove to be a stumbling block for the club.
Additionally, they also remain long-term admirers of Athletic Club's Inigo Martinez and Manchester City veteran Ilkay Gundogan, both of whom are set to become free agents at the end of the current season.