Barca hit by five-week Semedo injury absence

Defender Nelson Semedo has handed Barcelona a huge injury blow by being ruled out for five weeks with a recurrence of a calf problem. The 25-year-old Portugal international right-back, who has been an ever-present in Barca boss Ernesto Valverde’s first-team plans this season, was forced off after just 20 minutes of Saturday’s 4-1 win against Celta Viga at the Camp Nou.
And Barca released a brief statement to confirm that he will be on the sidelines until the middle of December.
It read: “Tests carried out on the first team player Nelson Semedo have confirmed that he has a calf injury in his left leg and will be out for around five weeks.”
The absence of Semedo, who joined in an initial €30.5 million deal from Benfica in summer 2017, will cause a selection headache for Valverde.
Sergi Roberto moved to right back to replace Semedo during the win against Celta Vigo, but he will be suspended for their next La Liga game at Leganes following the international break on November 23 due to suspension after picking up his fifth booking.
It means Moussa Wague should make his first start of the season in that game with Roberto likely to get the nod on his comeback.
Semedo is set to miss the Leganes game and the following home matches against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and Real Mallorca.
He is also poised to miss out on the away games at Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan in Europe and Real Sociedad, but should feature in the rearranged El Clasico against Real Madrid on December 18.