Barcelona’s hopes of finishing the season well have taken a heavy hit. Pedri followed in the footsteps of Gavi and Alejandro Balde, who have both been out for some time due to recurring hamstring issues; he was substituted off Sunday’s match against Athletic Club.

The goalless draw last Sunday meant they missed what seemed like their final opportunity to reignite the championship fight. What’s more, injuries to Frenkie de Jong and Pedri also cast severe doubt on their Champions League success.

While De Jong’s ankle strain will keep him out for around a month, Pedri’s fourth hamstring problem this season has led to the worst possible outcome. Unfortunately, it came as no surprise to see the midfielder sobbing as he limped off the San Mames ground.

Things taking a turn for the worse?

According to early estimates, Pedri might miss five or six weeks of action due to the injury. Barcelona decided against surgical intervention in favor of a more cautious approach. That timeline, meanwhile, was based on the most optimistic prognosis; things are looking terrible today.

Bar Canaletes says that due to the seriousness of the injury, Xavi doesn’t anticipate him returning to action this season. In addition, the 21-year-old would not participate in Euro 2024. Also, fortunately for the Catalan giants, he is unlikely to skip the Olympics.

Since his breakthrough season in 2020-21, Pedri has recently dealt with many muscle issues. Once injury-free, he has missed 71 matches due to nine separate injuries since then, while playing more than 5,000 minutes.

He was a mainstay in the club and the Spanish national team for 73 games that season. During the following season, he made an appearance in only 22 games for Barca. Even a year later, he was able to get 35 games in. The talented midfielder has seen action only 24 times this season due to injury.

While Pedri’s talent and promise are undeniable, he has missed more than half of Barca’s games over the last three seasons due to a variety of injuries. At this time, there is no announced comeback date, and he is once again sitting on the medical table. To make matters worse, we may not even see him again until the 2024-25 season begins in August.

Future at Barcelona is in doubt for Pedri

Being one of the most talked-about talents in international football, the player won the coveted Golden Boy award in 2021. Barcelona gave him the responsibility to replace Lionel Messi at Camp Nou after the latter departed for Paris Saint-Germain.

Concern is growing in Catalunya, but Barca’s desire to prevent another recurrence has led them to decide against surgery. Even though he was supposed to be a lynchpin of the next decade, it seems the Blaugrana are now open to other possibilities regarding his future.

Considering their financial woes, the money-strapped Catalans are reportedly considering Pedri’s sale in the summer, according to Diario AS. The budding superstar has a $1 billion release clause in his long-term deal.

With the club’s much-publicized financial woes, he could be able to depart with the appropriate offer, as doubts about his treatment-free record grow. For example, the La Liga reigning winners used a similar strategy with Ansu Fati, who is now on loan at Brighton.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.