FC Barcelona secured an important 3-1 win on Tuesday in La Liga against Atletico Madrid, but the result came with concern as stars Pedri and Dani Olmo were forced off due to physical issues. After a victory that helped the Culers reaffirm their place at the top of the table, head coach Hansi Flick provided an injury update on both midfielders.
On Tuesday’s match, Atletico struck first in the 19th minute through Álex Baena. Barcelona responded with an impressive comeback behind goals from Raphinha (26’), Dani Olmo (65’), and Ferran Torres (96’), even with Robert Lewandowski missing a penalty at 1-1 in the 36th minute.
Still, much of the focus turned to Dani Olmo and Pedri, who exited the match due to injury. Olmo, moments after scoring the go-ahead goal, landed awkwardly on his left side while sliding, appearing to suffer a dislocated elbow. He required immediate medical attention and was substituted, with Marcus Rashford coming on.
Concern rose again in the 74th minute when Pedri went down with what appeared to be muscle discomfort, prompting another forced change as Marc Casado replaced him. Speaking to Movistar after the match, Hansi Flick addressed both situations: “Pedri is fine, he’s just a little tired. As for Dani Olmo, he has a shoulder injury, so we have to see.“
Dani Olmo of FC Barcelona reacts to an injury after scoring the second goal against Atletico Madrid.
There is relief regarding Pedri, who is expected to be available for the next game, but Olmo’s outlook is far more complicated. Cadena COPE reported that the midfielder suffered a dislocation in his left shoulder and is expected to miss a minimum of three weeks, ruling him out for the remainder of 2025 with no definitive return date.
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Olmo’s setback is a significant blow for both the player and the team, not only because they’ve lost a key contributor in top form, but due to his history of injuries in that same area. The Spanish international underwent surgery on that shoulder in November 2023 while at Leipzig, and Barcelona will now build a plan to manage his recovery carefully in the coming days.
Pedri returns in superb level
Despite the bad news surrounding Olmo, Pedri’s return comes at a crucial moment for Barcelona, who have struggled in his absence. The 23-year-old made his comeback over the weekend with 30 minutes against Deportivo Alavés and followed that by logging 72 minutes against Atletico, providing an assist to Raphinha and completing the most passes in the attacking half: 39 of 41.
Flick was asked about Pedri’s return to the starting lineup and offered high praise: “He’s an outstanding player. I’m happy that he didn’t need too much time to play and return to his level, you could see it on Saturday, but also today. It was very important to have him on the midfield because he controlled, he was the connection between the defense and the offense; and off the ball too.“
Back in El Clásico on October 26, Pedri suffered a muscle fiber tear in the biceps femoris of his left leg, sidelining him for six weeks. Now with fears of a setback eased, and with Real Betis up next on Saturday, Flick is eager to reintegrate the midfielder fully into his central role in the team.
