Barcelona have confirmed that midfielder Gavi will miss around five months following knee surgery, ruling him out until early 2026 and casting doubt on his World Cup hopes.
Barcelona have confirmed that Pablo Páez Gavira ‘Gavi’ could be sidelined for up to five months after undergoing surgery on a knee injury. The 21-year-old has been forced back into recovery mode after his right meniscus problem turned out to be more serious than initially feared.
Injury setback for Gavi
The Spain international only returned last season from a cruciate ligament tear that kept him out for nearly a year, but his bad luck has struck again. He has not featured for Barça since August, and hopes that the issue could be managed without surgery have now been dashed. The midfielder is unlikely to return until early 2026.
Barcelona confirm surgery success
The club released a statement on Tuesday:
“First team player Pablo Páez Gavira ‘Gavi’ has had an arthroscopy to resolve a medial meniscus injury, which was sutured to preserve the meniscus. Recovery time is estimated at around 4-5 months.”
World Cup race now in doubt
Since bursting onto the scene in 2021, Gavi has grown into a key figure for both Barcelona and Spain. But this latest injury threatens to derail his preparations for the 2026 World Cup, with the midfielder now facing a race against time to regain both fitness and form ahead of the tournament.
Barcelona’s fixture crunch without Gavi
While Gavi begins his lengthy rehab, Hansi Flick’s squad must navigate a packed schedule. Barcelona return to La Liga action against Real Oviedo on Thursday, before hosting Real Sociedad on Sunday. Attention then shifts to a heavyweight Champions League clash against holders Paris Saint-Germain next week.
