Barcelona star could miss rest of the season due to muscle injury: Reports

Barcelona defender Sergino Dest will miss the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury, according to reports.

The 21-year-old right-back was forced off at half-time in his team's shock 1-0 home defeat to Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Sunday, 25 April.

Barcelona released an update on the young American's injury the following day, tweeting:

"Tests carried out this morning have confirmed that first-team player Sergino Dest has a hamstring injury in his right thigh," the statement reads. It is low and its evolution will mark its availability."

However, Spanish journalist Gerard Romero has reported that the injury could keep Dest out for between four and six weeks, meaning his season will be over.

Dest has made 31 appearances across all competitions this season. However, he was largely at fault for Vallaceno's winning goal at the Camp Nou on Sunday. The full-back gave winger Alvaro Rivera far too much space to score the game's only goal.

The absence of Dest leaves 38-year-old Dani Alves as Barca's only fit senior right-back left in the squad.

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Barcelona's slim title hopes all but gone following Vallecano defeat

It was a familiar story for Xavi Hernandez's side in La Liga this season. His team once again looked toothless when up against a side they would normally be expected to brush aside.

Barcelona failed to score with any of their 18 shots, with just five of them testing the opposition goalkeeper. The visitors, on the other hand, scored the game's only goal, with one of their three shots in the space of 90 minutes. The Blaugrana have only netted once in their last three matches.

The result was a club-record equalling third straight home defeat in all competitions. Their arch-rivals Real Madrid need just one more point to claim a record 35th Spanish top-flight title.

The Catalonian giants have now turned their attention to ensuring they qualify for next season's Champions League. They are currently six points clear of fifth-placed Real Betis with just five games remaining.

It has been a difficult couple of weeks for the five-time European champions. They also crashed out of the Europa League quarter-finals following a humiliating 3-4 aggregate defeat to Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt.

Xavi's side are currently second in the league, level on points with Sevilla and just two points ahead of Atletico Madrid.