Barcelona star played over 40 minutes despite being injured; set to miss 2 months - Reports

Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado is reportedly set to miss two months of action after playing with an injury against Atletico Madrid in La Liga on Sunday, March 16. La Bluagrana defeated their opponents 4-2 to go top of the league standings and level on points with Real Madrid, who have played a game more.

Casado started the match for Hansi Flick and seemingly picked up an injury in the first quarter. However, as per journalist Toni Juanmarti, Casado continued playing for over 40 minutes despite the injury (via Barca Universal).

The Spaniard has suffered a torn ligament in his right knee, which could keep him out for the remainder of the season. With the 21-year-old being the only natural defensive midfielder in the squad, the Catalan outfit could face issues towards the back end of the campaign.

They're currently competing with Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid for the La Liga title and have a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie lined up against Borussia Dortmund. Without Casado, Frenkie de Jong will have to shoulder the majority of the minutes in deep midfield.

So far this year, the youngster has made 36 appearances across competitions for Barcelona, bagging a goal and six assists. Expect Pedri and De Jong to partner each other in midfield when the Blaugrana face Osasuna in their next league match on March 27.

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Hansi Flick addresses Barcelona star's future amid worries over contract extension

Frenkie de Jong

While Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong is playing an important role under Hansi Flick currently, his long term future at the club remains uncertain. The Netherlands international's agreement runs out in the summer of 2026, meaning he could be sold this summer to secure a transfer fee.

When asked about the midfielder's situation before facing Atletico Madrid, Flick failed to produce a concrete answer. He said (via Barca Blaugranes):

“It will depend on the club and him. We’ll see."

“He recovered from an injury and has improved, he’s doing very well, and he’s given us a lot of possession on the pitch. I’m very happy to have him.”

De Jong came to Barcelona from Ajax in the summer of 2019 and has since made 242 appearances across competitions, bagging 19 goals and 22 assists. He won the La Liga title and Copa del Rey once each with the Catalans, among other honors.