Dani Olmo has suffered a calf injury that Barcelona say will rule him out of Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Benfica.
The Spain international, 26, was introduced from the bench in the 1-1 draw at Getafe in La Liga on Saturday evening and played the final 28 minutes in place of Gavi.
He will not travel with the squad when Barcelona head to Portugal on Tuesday, however, with assessments ongoing as to the severity of the issue.
Barcelona are second in the Champions League league phase table and are already mathematically certain of at least a place in the playoffs after five wins from their six games.
The club’s next league match comes against Valencia at Montjuic next Sunday.
MEDICAL NEWS | Barça player Dani Olmo has a right soleus strain. He is out for the next match and his return will be determined by his recovery. pic.twitter.com/E0EGJVJnXP
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 19, 2025
Olmo — alongside Pau Victor — has been granted temporary permission by the Spanish government to feature for Barcelona after the club missed the December 31 deadline to register him for the second half of the season.
The decision from CSD was an acknowledgement that Barcelona have grounds to dispute the decision taken by La Liga and RFEF (the Spanish federation) and means the players can feature in La Liga and the early rounds of the Champions League knockout stages before a definitive ruling is made.
Olmo returned to Barcelona in a deal worth in the region of €60million from RB Leipzig in August.
He has gone on to make 18 appearances in all competitions for the club this season, adding six goals and three assists.
Saturday’s draw saw Barcelona drop points for a fourth game in a row in La Liga with Jules Kounde’s opening goal cancelled out by Mauro Arambarri.
They sit third in the table, four points behind second-placed Real Madrid, who can move top above Atletico Madrid if they beat Las Palmas on Sunday.
GO DEEPER
Barca’s Olmo reprieve: How long can he and Victor play for, why did the government intervene and what next?
(Thomas Coex/AFP via Getty Images)
