More worries were added to Barcelona on Saturday after its
star defender Gerard Pique injured his knee during a match with Atletico Madrid
which the club went on to lose 1-0.

Pique sprained his knee during the second half of the La
Liga match, when Angelo Correo collided with him. He was carried off the field
on a stretcher, with his face scrunched in an agony expressing a serious
injury.

And serious enough it turned out to be, when the club came
out with a statement on Sunday announcing that the centre back was down with a
grade-3 injury in the ligament.

“Tests have shown that he has a grade 3 sprain in the
internal lateral ligament and partial injury to the anterior cruciate ligament
in his right knee,” said Barcelona in a statement, as per an AFP report.

The club also confirmed that Sergi Roberto, who can play
right back or central midfield, will be out for two months after tearing a
muscle in his thigh.

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There was no official estimate for Pique’s return but
reports in the Spanish press have suggested he could be out for anything
between two and six months, AFP said.

The season is not going well for the Catalans, who sit at 10th
spot in the club league.

The club did not say how much time it will have to go
without Pique, but reports suggested he may be out for at least a couple of
months and six months on a higher side.

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Pique’s absence leaves Barca with Clement Lenglet as their
one fit central defender, given Samuel Umtiti and Ronald Araujo are also out
injured, AFP said.

Frenkie de Jong has occasionally dropped into defence in
recent weeks but the situation is far from ideal for Ronald Koeman, whose side
slipped to their third league loss of the season against Atletico.