Xavi Hernandez in doubt for Barcelona's UEFA Champions League clash with Arsenal
Barcelona's prolific play-maker and passing genius, Xavi Hernandez is now in a race against time to be fit for Barcelona's clash with Arsenal for the team's second-leg encounter in the UEFA Champions League.
The 31-year-old World Cup winner underwent extensive tests at the club earlier in the day and was ruled out for as much as two weeks due to a calf injury.
The club's website revealed, “Xavi Hernandez has a slight calf strain in his left leg and is expected to be out for around seven to ten days”
With that being said, the time left for Barcelona to take on Arsenal is down to 15 days. The problem is that despite the time estimated for the player to be fit again is set at fourteen days, the actual time required for the player to heal might
take longer, or less. If Xavi manages to regain fitness prior to his estimated time of recovery, then there would be no problems. However, if it takes longer then that, then there might just be a problem on Barcelona's hands.
The Catalans are currently trailing the Gunners in the tie by two goals to one and would be in desperate need of their dictating midfielder in the game. Arsenal already managed to sneak one win past the Spanish club, despite them having dominated
possession and having out passed the North London club, and if that was to happen again, then it would be almost unacceptable for Barcelona.
At the moment, the only way that http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Barcelona-c38605 can beat the Gunners is if they manage to stick to their game-plan, which is to out pass and out possess their opponents. But, that game plan usually heavily relies on the brilliance that Xavi provides
to the team.
However, the game against Arsenal is a doubt for the player, whereas the La Liga matches against Mallorca and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Valencia-c40863 over the course of the next week are almost a guaranteed miss.
Nonetheless, to add to Barcelona's temporary miseries, they will also be without the trio of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Dani-Alves-c9869 this coming weekend. Puyol and Valdes are out due to injury, whereas Alves is suspended for the upcoming
La Liga fixture.
Nonetheless, almost every person in the world is hoping that that all the first team starters on both sides manage to be fit in time for the epic showdown that is set to take place between Arsenal and Barcelona, just so that the second-leg can
be a viewing spectacle like the first one was.
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