The availability of Spanish youngster and Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi for Barcelona’s crucial clash against Real Sociedad at Anoeta Stadium on Sunday in La Liga remains doubtful after he was left with a facial injury that needed ten stitches.
Pau Curbasi and Inigo Martinez have both become the solid rock for the Barcelona defense this season and he was in action on Wednesday evening in the UEFA Champions League fixture against Crvena Zvezda at Rajko Mitic Stadium, but he was substituted after Crvena Zvezda’s Uros Spajic launched a high boot inside the box to the face of the 17-year-old who went down holding his face.
Barcelona and Zvezda players immediately called on the medical team onto the field for assistance before Cubarsi was replaced by 19-year-old defender Sergi Dominguez. While Barcelona won the fixture 5-2 thanks to Robert Lewandowski’s brace and goals from Martinez, Raphinha, and Fermin Lopez, there were fears for Curbasi.
However, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick revealed the extent of the injury, revealing ten stitches to Pau’s face, expecting that he would recover faster.
“Cubarsi is fine; he’s been given stitches, but he’s young. When you get older, it’s not good, but now it is. They gave him stitches. The most important thing is the three points. It is not easy to win away from home in this competition. The Champions League is difficult.” Flick said.
The Blaugrana are looking to maintain or extend their nine-point lead over Real Madrid before the international break next week with a fixture against Real Sociedad away from home.
Barcelona established a nine-point lead when they defeated Real Madrid 4-0 in the El Clasico at Santiago Bernabeu before Real Madrid’s fixture at the weekend was postponed due to flooding issues in the Valencia region. Hansi Flick’s Barcelona are currently in sixth on the UCL table after four games with nine points.
