Barcelona are facing the prospect of being without the services of seven first-team players for Saturday's La Liga contest with Las Palmas at their temporary home of Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
Gavi and Alejandro Balde are long-term absentees for the Catalan giants, with the pair out for the season due to serious knee and hamstring injuries respectively, which both required operations.
Frenkie de Jong and Pedri will also again be absent this weekend, but the pair are making progress in their injury recoveries and are in line to return to the field in April.
There had been huge concern over De Jong's ankle injury and Pedri's hamstring problem, with the duo suffering the issues during the clash with Athletic Bilbao at the start of March.
However, there have been claims that both could return against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on April 10, with Xavi's side heading to France for the first leg of their quarter-final.
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Barcelona could also be missing both Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araujo for the clash with Las Palmas.
Christensen did not link up with the Denmark squad for their March friendlies due to an Achilles problem, which ruled him out of Barcelona's 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid before the international break.
The 27-year-old, who has recently been operating in central midfield, did not train on Wednesday, and he is therefore a major doubt for the team's next league match.
Araujo was also missing from the main training session on Wednesday, with the centre-back said to be suffering from a minor muscular problem.
The 25-year-old was released from Uruguay duty earlier than expected, and Barcelona are set to be cautious when it comes to his injury ahead of the trip to PSG.
Ferran Torres also remains a major doubt for Xavi's side, with the Spain international on the sidelines since the end of January with a hamstring issue, and he has not yet been cleared to play this weekend.
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Which players could benefit from the expected absences?
According to Mundo Deportivo, both Mamadou Mbacke and Mikayil Faye were called up to train with the first team on Wednesday; the latter could be involved this weekend, but the former is suspended due to yellow cards which he picked up for the reserve side.
Mbacke, 21, is on loan at the Catalan club from Los Angeles FC, and he has made 19 appearances for Barcelona B during the 2023-24 campaign.
Faye, meanwhile, has featured 24 times for Barcelona B this season, and the 19-year-old, who is being linked with Manchester United, scored an eye-catching goal on his Senegal debut during the international break.
Inigo Martinez would likely come into the middle of the defence alongside Pau Cubarsi if Araujo is indeed ruled out, while Christensen's absence could mean that Fermin Lopez and Sergi Roberto feature in central midfield alongside Ilkay Gundogan.
However, Xavi also has the option of moving Jules Kounde from right-back into the middle alongside Cubarsi, which could then see Roberto revert to full-back, opening up a spot in midfield, with Oriol Romeu an option.
Matt Law
