Barcelona have been dealt an injury blow after confirming that Malcom will be sidelined for up to two weeks with an ankle sprain.
The 21-year-old has been restricted to just nine appearances so far this season after his summer move from Bordeaux, but he has bagged two goals in those outings.
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His latest came in midweek in the win over Cultural Leonesa in the Copa del Rey, but ultimately it’s come at a cost as confirmed in the tweet below from Barcelona, as the Brazilian ace has been ruled out for between 10 and 15 days with the ankle issue.
Although he has only played a bit-part role to this point, Malcom’s presence on the bench could have been crucial in a busy period for the Catalan giants.
He’ll miss the derby with Espanyol this weekend, followed by the final Champions League group game against Tottenham next Tuesday night.
Further, he’ll perhaps remain a doubt for clashes with Levante and Celta Vigo prior to the winter break, as Barcelona play four games in the space of a fortnight.
In turn, coach Ernesto Valverde will be disappointed to lose him, but he does still have the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho at his disposal to feature in the final third.
Nevertheless, it’s another frustrating setback for Malcom himself, as he’ll hope to now recover fully and regain his sharpness over the break to perhaps play a crucial role in the second half of the season if he can force his way into contention.
? [MEDICAL ANNOUNCEMENT] Malcom out for 10 to 15 days with a sprained right ankle ?? #ForçaBarça pic.twitter.com/ni8hztnr0s
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 6, 2018
