Barcelona have confirmed that Marc Bernal ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in Tuesday’s win over Rayo Vallecano and will undergo surgery in the coming days.
Barça have not confirmed how long Bernal is expected to be out but it is anticipated he will miss the majority of the season given the severity of the injury.
Bernal, 17, picked up the injury in the final minutes of the 2-1 win at Rayo when he twisted his knee going in for a tackle.
It became instantly clear how serious it was, and coach Hansi Flick said it made it difficult to celebrate what was Barça’s third straight win at the start of the new LaLiga season.
“It’s a sad victory because Marc Bernal is injured,” Flick said in a news conference after the game.
“We win, it’s OK, but when you see the dressing room nobody is happy.
“It’s not good. He made a fantastic match — 17-years-old, such a performance. It hurts.”