Official: Barcelona starlet ruled out of pre-season tour after muscle injury | OneFootball

With FC Barcelona nearing the completion of the first week of their pre-season training, Hansi Flick has been dealt a concerning injury blow.

Promising youngster Ibrahim Diarra has sustained a muscle tear in his thigh, which has now ruled him out of contention for the pre-season tour of Asia, the club has confirmed.

“Barça Atletic player Ibrahim Diarra has a muscle tear in the rectus femoris of his right leg. He will not travel with the first team for the tour in Japan and Korea, and his return to regular activity will be determined based on his recovery progress,” the statement read.

Diarra joined Barcelona in the winter window and became a key player for the Juvenil A setup while also breaking into the Barça Atletic team.

The Malian youngster, capable of operating as a forward or a midfielder, was one of the youngsters handpicked by Hansi Flick for the pre-season camp.

Expectations have been high on Diarra, who had been training at the Ciutat Esportiva even before the pre-season officially began, working on recovering from an injury he had sustained in the last season.

Now, though, the 18-year-old has suffered a muscle tear that will bring an end to his hopes of making it to the first-team pre-season tour of Asia.