Barcelona’s Injury Epidemic: What’s Going Wrong?

After transitioning from their older crop of players, Barcelona looked to the future with Pedri, Gavi and Ansu Fati running the show. Unfortunately, history often takes unexpected turns, and the three soon enough found themselves sidelined by injuries. None of them are older than 23, which poses the question of what might have gone wrong. 

There’s a troubling pattern of injuries among Barcelona’s players, but this was previously attributed to the club’s negligence in physical preparation. 

The record didn’t improve under Xavi, and hopes now lie on Hansi Flick to resolve the issue – the club’s future cannot be jeopardized. But what are the underlying reasons behind their injuries?

Before And After Covid

Since COVID-19, football changed. Life changed. But unlike most aspects of our lives – football never quite returned to normality. Many will remember the injury spree after the resumption of club football after the pandemic. 

This was initially not a major concern, under the assumption that this was part of the process after a prolonged period without play. While there might be some truth to this, another problem lies with the governing bodies of football (FIFA/UEFA).

Too Many Fixtures

There is a conflict of interest. Fans desire beautiful games where their favourite stars can feature in every possible fixture. However, as football grew, more commercial and business-led interest joined the ranks of football’s governing bodies, resulting in the addition of more games.

Recent changes include the introduction of new competitions like the UEFA Nations League and the Conference League while existing competitions remain intact. This increases the strain on players, particularly those who compete in Europe, leading to a higher number of injuries. 

It’s not rare for players to play twice a week: once on weekends (domestic leagues) and once mid-week (UEFA competitions). While this schedule alone might not pose a threat, football trade unions like FIFPRO have expressed their discontent about the increased number of games.

What this comes with – and makes this situation dangerous – is the safety hazard it presents. Players are increasingly younger, best pictured by 16-year-old Lamine Yamal becoming the most important star of the eventual winners of EURO2024, Spain. 

It is needless to say that playing every week for 90 minutes at the young age of 16 is incredibly dangerous, and his case is not isolated. While he hasn’t been injured yet – thanks to Xavi Hernández’s staff exercising caution – other players, including his teammates, are not as fortunate.

The Curious Case of Pedri

A famous example, and one that still provokes debates in football communities, is the curious case of Pedri González. 

He joined Barcelona from Las Palmas back when Ronald Koeman was still coaching the club. He didn’t play much in the first months, as Coutinho was the starter. However, Coutinho’s injury forced Koeman to change plans, and Pedri was given the keys to the midfield.

Few people had heard of Pedri at that point, but he quickly made sure that his name wouldn’t be forgotten. Pedri was stellar – everyone wanted to be like him as if he became a new national hero. Soon enough, Luis Enrique chose him to lead La Roja in EURO 2020. 

Taking into account that he had never experienced similar intensity for extended periods, it was clear that the number of games took a toll on the young player. Even then, when one would assume he would be rested after Spain’s elimination in the semifinals against Italy, this did not happen.

Luis De La Fuente Injured An Entire Generation

Current Head Coach of the Spanish National Team, Luis de La Fuente, was in charge of the Spanish team for the Olympics at the time. He included Pedri in the squad – and he was not the only victim. Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad) and Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig) were the two other victims, who also played in EURO 2020 with Spain.

The result is that all three struggle with injuries three years later. Pedri was the victim of an injury against Germany in the quarterfinals, Oyarzabal endured a year-long ACL injury, while Dani Olmo cannot complete a full season without falling to injuries every two months. 

By now, there is no doubt that including the three players who already competed in EURO2020 was a detrimental decision that continues to compromise their careers.

Legal Action Against FIFA Over Player Injuries

On Tuesday, 23rd, 2024, player unions joined the fight as they officially sued FIFA through the European governing bodies. The primary argument is that FIFA/UEFA’s irresponsible overscheduling harms players and affects economic interests.

The sentiment is not new at all. In 2022, 54% of the surveyed players claimed that the cause of their injury was the overload in the yearly calendar. 

Players aren’t the only ones raising concerns – a majority of Europe’s coaching elite have also complained about the excessive number of games. The list is long and includes high-profile figures like Pep Guardiola, Jürgen Klopp and Xavi Hernández, to name a few. 

The High Cost of Pre-Season Tours

While pre-season travel might not be entirely within the control of the governing bodies, it should be noted that clubs have resorted to excessive friendlies in their pre-season schedules – arguably another reason why the players are victims of injuries: the lack of rest. 

More and more European teams now travel from Japan to the US within ten days, and as a result of jetlag and general fatigue, players are more susceptible to injuries. 

This doesn’t mean teams shouldn’t travel, but athletes should be granted a reasonable amount of rest days to fully recover, especially when these trips involve long-haul flights across different time zones.

Are Barcelona’s Young Talents Being Pushed Too Hard?

Another issue with younger players is that they’re often treated “like the rest” and rushed back from injuries. 

Unfortunately, as they’re still developing, some of these judgment mistakes can prove fatal for their future. This is the case of Ansu Fati, who started playing for Barcelona when he was sixteen. A few years later, he struggles with repeated injuries and appears to have been ill-advised by club doctors on how to approach his recovery.

Barcelona will have to make sure they have learned from the cases of Pedri and Ansu Fati, as Gavi could be approaching a similar critical phase. Gavi hasn’t stepped on the pitch for a year and is expected to be ready by autumn of this year. 

However, football often shows that just because they can play, does not mean they should play. The future of Ansu Fati is uncertain – nobody knows at this moment whether he can return to his former self.

Can Barcelona Avoid Repeating Mistakes?

What’s certain is that Barcelona need to be careful to avoid repeating the same mistakes with Pedri and Gavi. 

In Pedri’s case, the amount of games at a young age was insane, and participating in so many tournaments proved to be a problem. 

For Gavi, his injury wasn’t a direct consequence but rather an indirect result of playing too many games. There is still hope that the club will be more responsible with him, but it means being patient. 

Patience is something that the club (and not only Barcelona), has often lacked. The beginning of the 24/25 season will reveal whether they have become more responsible with their younger crop.