Barcelona’s Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen will be sidelined for around six weeks after picking up a right hamstring injury while on international duty, the Spanish giants said Monday.
The 32-year-old, who has been hit by a string of injuries since signing for the Catalan club in 2014, limped off the field in the second half of Belgium’s 2-1 win over Switzerland in the Nations League on Friday.
“Tests carried out this morning confirm that first team player Thomas Vermaelen has a right hamstring injury. He will be sidelined for approximately six weeks,” the club said in a statement.
The injury leaves Barcelona short of options in defence as the team is already without French centre-back Samuel Umtiti who has a knee injury, with only Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet at their disposal.
The Catalans are in for a testing period of matches post the international break, starting with league leaders Sevilla, who visit the Nou Camp on Saturday.
They return to Champions League action mid-week as they welcome Inter Milan, who beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in their first match of this season’s competition. They welcome rivals and struggling giants Real Madrid on October 28 for the first El Clasico of the La Liga season.
