Barcelonahave suffered another injury blow, after it was confirmed that goalkeeper Victor Valdes damaged his calf playing for Spain against South Africa.
The injury occurred towards the end of the game, when substitute Valdes entered into a challenge with a South African player to make a clearance.
He then limped off the field and was replaced by Pepe Reina, to the ire of Bafana Bafana boss Gordon Igesund.
Valdes underwent tests upon his return to Barcelona on Wednesday, and the club confirmed that he will not play again for the rest of 2013.
“According to the club’s medical services, tests carried out this Wednesday confirmed that Victor Valdes has a ruptured tendon in the calf of his right leg,” a club statement said.
“His time out will be approximately six weeks. The Barca keeper, who replaced [Iker] Casillas at half-time in the game, had to leave the pitch in the 80th minute due to this injury. Reina replaced him.”
Reserve goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto will replace Valdes between the sticks at the Camp Nou for the rest of the year.
And Valdes’ time as an active Barca player, which is set to end at the end of the season in any case, is now considerably shorter.
Barca meanwhile, face a significant threat to their undefeated record so far this season.
Without Valdes in goal, a handful of defenders at the back and Lionel Messi in attacking midfield, their spine is certainly weaker.
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