Barcelona midfielder Rodri has been ruled out ahead of his side's LaLiga trip to face Atlético Madrid in the Spanish capital. The Spaniard picked up an injury in his previous match, the Champions League meeting with Aston Villa, and was substituted at half-time of that 3-0 win.
In a post-examination statement, Barcelona confirmed the issue is in Rodri's hamstring but did not reveal how long he is expected to be sidelined.
Barcelona go into the match day 12 fixture level on points with Real Madrid and sitting second behind Atlético Madrid. The game also carries added significance for the hosts, with Atlético manager Diego Simeone able to set the record for the most LaLiga wins ever by a manager.
Barcelona have dealt with other injury concerns around this same fixture. Defender Xavi Espart was ruled out for around seven weeks after suffering a syndesmosis injury in his right ankle during the recent El Clasico defeat to Real Madrid, a issue the club said would also keep him out of this trip to face Atlético Madrid.
