Barcelona’s hopes of winning the Champions League have suffered a major setback as their star forward Joao Felix has been sidelined with an ankle injury. The Portuguese international, who joined the Catalan club from Atletico Madrid last summer, twisted his ankle during a training session and will be out of action for at least four weeks.
This means that Felix will miss Barcelona’s crucial round of 16 clash with Napoli, which is scheduled for February 21 at the San Paolo Stadium. The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw, with Felix scoring a stunning equalizer for Barcelona in the second half. The 24-year-old has been one of Barcelona’s best performers this season, scoring 7 goals and providing 5 assists in all competitions.
Felix’s absence will leave a huge void in Barcelona’s attack, which is already depleted by injuries and suspensions. Xavi Hernandez, who took over as the manager in November, will have to cope without Gavi, Alejandro Balde, Marcos Alonso, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Inigo Martinez and Raphinha, who are all unavailable for various reasons. The only senior strikers at his disposal are Robert Lewandowski, who is struggling to find his form since his move from Bayern Munich, and Lamine Yamal, who is yet to score in the Champions League.
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Xavi may have to rely on some of the young talents from the academy, such as Vitor Roque, Ferran Torres, Marc Guiu and Pau Victor, to fill the gaps in his squad. He will also hope that Raphinha, who has been out with a hamstring injury since January, will recover in time to face Napoli.
Barcelona are currently fourth in La Liga, eleven points behind unsung league leaders Girona, with 17 games left to play. They have already been knocked out of the Spanish Supercup and the Copa del Rey, leaving the Champions League as their only chance of silverware this season. However, with Felix out of the picture, their chances of lifting the trophy for the first time since 2015 have diminished significantly. They will have to overcome Napoli, who are in fine form under Luciano Spalletti, and then face the likes of Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool or Bayern Munich in the later stages.
Felix’s injury is a huge blow for Barcelona, who will have to find a way to cope without their star man. Xavi will have to use all his tactical acumen and motivational skills to rally his troops and inspire them to overcome the odds. Barcelona have a history of producing miracles in the Champions League, but they will need more than a miracle to win it this time. They will need a Felix.
