The UEFA Champions League quarter-final round could not have been more painful for FC Barcelona. The Catalans were not only eliminated from the competition despite having a one goal lead from the first-leg over Paris Saint Germain, but also saw their fiercest rivals, Real Madrid, advance to the semi-final a day after their elimination.
The Merengues were able to win the tie on penalties after the game at the Etihad ended in a 1-1 draw, and neither of the teams could break the deadlock in extra time. Two Manchester City players missed their penalties in the shootout, which allowed Real Madrid to eliminate Pep Guardiola’s side.
However, the events of the last night could still have some positive significance for Barcelona. As SPORT has reported, Real Madrid had to return from England with several physical issues, and one of their most lethal forwards, Vinicius Junior, is in a highly worrisome condition.
The Brazilian asked for a substitution in the 101st minute of the game, after having been unable to even walk following a race with Walker to the Manchester City penalty box. Ancelotti did not take any risks, and immediately replaced him with Lucas Vazquez.
Initially, his physical condition did not seem too worrying, and it was believed that he was suffering only the impacts of muscle fatigue. However, as the Clasico is scheduled for only a few days’ time, it is not clear whether the winger will be able to get back to his 100% in time. He is expected to undergo tests this Thursday to get a more clear picture about his fitness.
Real Madrid will be hoping that the problem is nothing worse than routine muscle fatigue or an overload. However, even in such a case, the Brazilian’s participation in the Clasico will be in doubt.
This situation can have significant implications for Barcelona, especially as Vinicius always creates a lot of problems for the Catalans. Xavi had to come up with specific adjustments to his backline to deal with his threat, like moving Araujo to the flank, but the Brazilian still has got 6 goals and 3 assists against his side in 16 appearances.
