Barcelona Confirms Philippe Coutinho Will Miss 2-3 Weeks With Hamstring Injury
Barcelona have confirmed that key attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho will be sidelined for 'two or three weeks' after suffering a small hamstring tear in his left leg.
Coutinho played 90 minutes of the Champions League clash against former club Inter on Tuesday night, laying on Barcelona's goal in the 1-1 draw scored by Malcom.
But tests have now revealed that his injury will rule him out of up to three games in the coming weeks. He will also have to withdraw from the Brazil squad for this month's international friendlies against Uruguay and Cameroon in London and Milton Keynes respectively.
Coutinho will definitely be absent for this weekend's La Liga clash with Real Betis at Camp Nou. Depending on his recovery, the 26-year-old is also a doubt for the meeting with Atletico Madrid on November 24 and Champions League Matchday 5 against PSV Eindhoven.
Coutinho is yet to miss a game in La Liga this season, starting eight times and appearing as a substitute in the other three. He has also scored four goals, his most recent in the 5-1 demolition of Real Madrid in the Clásico at Camp Nou last month.
Fellow countryman Malcom could well be the player who benefits from his absence.
The summer signing's goal against Inter this week was his first for the club after a virtually non-existent start to his Barça career after joining from Bordeaux in July.
He has made only two La Liga appearances so far, totalling just 25 minutes on the pitch, and has been left out of the squad completely for the four of the last five league fixtures.
But Malcom will be hoping that his crucial goal in Milan will see coach Ernesto Valverde catapult him straight into the starting lineup when Betis come to town.
