Aitana Bonmatí to Undergo Surgery, Out for Three Months

Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí will be sidelined for a minimum of three months following medical evaluations that confirmed she requires surgery for a fractured fibula.

The three-time Ballon d’Or winner sustained the injury during training with the Spanish national team on Sunday, just days before the UEFA Women’s Nations League final’s second leg against Germany.

Upon learning of her injury, Bonmatí promptly returned to Barcelona to assess the extent of the damage and to discuss the next steps with her club’s medical personnel.

In a statement, FC Barcelona announced, “Tests conducted on Monday indicated that surgery will be necessary to address the fibula fracture.” The procedure is scheduled for Tuesday, led by Dr. Antoni Dalmau at Barcelona Hospital, with oversight from the club’s medical staff.

After the surgery, the club will provide further updates. However, sources informed ESPN that Bonmatí could be out of action for at least three months, with the possibility of a longer recovery period.

This injury is a significant setback for both the Spanish national team, who drew the first leg of the Nations League final 0-0 against Germany last Friday, and FC Barcelona.

Additionally, the Catalan team will also be without midfielder Patri Guijarro until the New Year. Furthermore, Portugal’s Kika Nazareth has returned from international duty with an ankle injury that will keep her out for three weeks. FC Barcelona stated, “Nazareth has a sprained ligament in her left ankle sustained during international play with Portugal last Friday,” estimating her recovery time to be around three weeks.

With Bonmatí, Guijarro, and Nazareth unavailable, young talents such as Vicky López, Sydney Schertenleib, and Clara Serrajordi are anticipated to receive increased playing time in the coming matches.

Barcelona still has five upcoming games before the year’s end, including two in the Champions League. Currently, they are in a strong position both domestically and in Europe, leading Liga F by six points after 12 matches, as well as topping the Champions League standings on goal difference ahead of OL Lyon.