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According to an official statement from FC Barcelona, Spanish winger Ansu Fati picked up a knee injury during his side's emphatic victory against Real Betis and is now set to undergo surgery. The news comes as a massive blow to a Barcelona squad that has relied heavily on its young blood under Ronald Koeman this season.
Ansu Fati has enjoyed an exceptional season for Barcelona and has made significant inroads into the first team. The 18-year-old forward has proved his mettle under Ronald Koeman and gave Barcelona plenty of impetus in the final third.
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Barcelona will now have to plug the massive hole that Ansu Fati's absence will leave in the Catalan forward line. The Blaugrana have had their fair share of problems this season and Ronald Koeman will now have to account for the absence of one of his most promising players.
Ansu Fati's stunning rise over the past year has been one of the few positive notes in an otherwise difficult time for Barcelona. The La Liga giants endured a trophyless season last year and are working through a particularly challenging period of transition.
Barcelona prodigy Ansu Fati set to miss 3-4 months through knee injury
Ansu Fati already has 6 goals and 2 assists from only 8 starts in all competitions this season. The La Masia prodigy has been a revelation for Barcelona this year and has established a place for himself in the Catalan starting eleven.
The talented winger has also made a mark with the Spanish national team and became the youngest goalscorer in the country's history earlier this year. Ansu Fati will now be unable to participate in Spain's UEFA Nations League games this month and has been replaced by Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio in Luis Enrique's squad.
Barcelona have released a statement on their official website detailing the extent of Ansu Fati's injury and the time it could potentially take him to recover.
"The first team player Ansu Fati will undergo surgery tomorrow for the injury to the meniscus in his left knee. The procedure will be performed by Dr. Ramon Cugat under the supervision of the club’s medical services. Once this intervention is completed, a new communique will be provided with information on the result and the approximate time the player will be out."
Barcelona have not been at their best in La Liga and will now need to ensure that their results are not affected by Ansu Fati's absence. The youngster has scored four goals in the league this season and has been a crucial part of the Catalan team.
The Blaugrana have been a force to reckon with on the European front and have built a young squad that can potentially trouble their Champions League rivals. With Ansu Fati out of the picture for a few months, however, Ousmane Dembele will have to step up for Barcelona and occupy his spot on the flanks.
The French winger scored the opening goal for Barcelona against Real Betis with an exceptional piece of skill and a strike that would have left the best goalkeepers in the world stranded.
Dembele is perfectly capable of being an excellent player for Barcelona and will now have to move past his well-documented problems at the club and take it up a notch under Ronald Koeman.
