Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Barcelona defensive blow as injury rules Samuel Umtiti out of Real Madrid clash
BARCELONA will be without Samuel Umtiti for their Clasico match with Real Madrid this month.
Barcelona star Samuel Umtiti will miss the Real Madrid game with injury
Barcelona have endured a string of injuries to key players this season.
And Umtiti is the latest to fall victim to a niggling problem.
The centre-back pulled up with a hamstring strain in Barcelona’s 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo today.
And he is expected to be out for up to two months.
It is a massive blow for Barcelona, who will now likely bring Javier Mascherano into the defence just a day after he confirmed he wants to leave the club.
Mascherano has lost his place to Umtiti this season and, even though he is contracted to the club until 2019, wants out next summer.
"I have little time left at Barca and I would not like to leave as I left Liverpool, because it went wrong there," he said.
Umtiti’s absence is a big boost for Real, who face Barca in a crunch Clasico tie on 23 December.
Barcelona brought Samuel Umtiti off as soon as he injured his hamstring
Barca are 11 points ahead of Real in the title race but a win for Los Blancos would give them hope heading into Spain’s winter break.
Real face Athletico Bilbao today (7.45pm) where they will look to climb up to third in La Liga.