Tears after injury: three players spark concern inside Barcelona
Barcelona are awaiting the results of the examinations that Ibrahima Diarra, Dani Ávila and Hafid Gariba will undergo tomorrow, Monday, as the three players are suffering from problems in the hamstring area.
According to Sport, Barcelona's reserve side paid a heavy price for being forced to play Girona B in far from ideal circumstances, stripped of a host of players by international call-ups and injuries.
They suffered their first defeat of the season at the Johan Cruyff Stadium against Girona B (0-1). The real worry, though, lies in the injuries.
Fresh physical problems have piled on top of those already hampering the group led by Juliano Belletti.
Two cases stand out. Dani Ávila played his first minutes of the season two weeks ago against Arenteiro (2-1), having recovered from a knee injury.
Belletti then rested him against Manresa, with a logical, gradual return to the pitch planned.
Circumstances forced him to start against Girona B instead, by decision of the competition's single judge. After just five minutes he felt a twinge in the back of his left leg and left the pitch in tears, heading straight for the dressing rooms.
Ibrahim Diarra began the match on the bench. The Malian's previous injuries demanded great caution, having played his first matches of the season in late September, following his recovery from a muscle injury, before suffering a fresh setback.
Belletti gave him eight minutes against Manresa, then threw him on in the closing stages against Girona B, chasing a comeback the team badly needed.
Barça were exhausted by everything around them, and pushing for one last effort cost them. The Malian suffered a muscle tear, again in the hamstring.
He walked off to applause from the stands, pulling his shirt over his face as he wept with frustration and anger. His teammates rushed to console him, as did some of the opposition players. Belletti offered a touch of humanity too, waiting by the touchline to comfort him.
His situation has cast a shadow over the reserve squad. The midfielder has enormous potential but cannot shake off his recurring physical problems.
His may also prove the longest lay-off of the three, though the medical examinations will have the final word.
There is cautious optimism over at least one of them: Hafiz Gariba. The centre-back completed the full match but walked off at full time repeatedly touching the hamstring of his left thigh.
