The injury occurred during Barcelona’s La Liga meeting with Real Betis in the penultimate round of the campaign, at a crucial stage of the La Liga season, a fixture late in the title run-in.
What initially seemed to be a relatively minor knock during the match gradually developed into a more serious issue, with further assessment revealing the fracture and necessitating an operation.
The procedure was carried out at Hospital de Barcelona and supervised by Barcelona’s medical department.
The club also confirmed that specialist surgeons were involved in ensuring the operation was completed successfully in line with standard club medical protocols.
Recovery is expected to take around three months, leaving the midfielder sidelined for an extended period, providing a clear timeline for rehabilitation and recovery. Barcelona remain hopeful he could return in time for the start of next season.
The setback has significant international implications, as it is expected to rule him out of the FIFA World Cup.
He had been firmly in contention for Spain’s squad under coach Luis de la Fuente, having been included in a preliminary 55-man list that strongly indicated he was close to final selection. The injury effectively ends those hopes at international level going forward.
