Rafinha injury update: Barcelona midfielder Rafinha has been ruled out for six months, following a successful operation.
Rafinha tore his left anterior cruciate ligament during the game against Atletico Madrid. The midfielder continued to play in pain, without knowing the extent of the injury.
The severity of the injury was later confirmed, following which the midfielder was operated. Rafinha has now been ruled out, potentially for the rest of the season as he recovers with the problem.
Barcelona came back to the top of the table with a win against Villareal. Gerard Pique scored the first goal in the 35th minute, while Carles Alena scored the second in the closing minutes of the game.
Alena has now been officially included in the first team squad, following his impressive performance. Here’s the full detail:
Rafinha injury update: Alena to replace Rafinha
The 20-year old midfielder will replace Rafinha as he recovers from his injury. Carles Alena has been included in the first-team squad, and will don the number 21 jersey for the club.
Alena came through the youth ranks at Barcelona, joining the club in 2005 as a seven-year old. He made his first-team debut for the club in 2016 in the Copa Del Rey tie against Hercules CF, where he scored the equalizer in the game.
The next year, he played his first La Liga game against Granada CF, coming on as a substitute for Ivan Rakitic. Alena has so far made 5 appearances in the league for the club.
For Barca B, Alena has played in 90 games, scoring 18 goals.
Sergi Roberto also suffered from a hamstring issue in November, which ruled him out for a month.
Barcelona, meanwhile, will take on Cultural Leonesa in the round-of-32 tie of the Copa del Rey. They won the first leg 1-0, and will host the side at Camp Nou.
