Barcelona sweat on injuries for Samuel Umtiti and Andres Iniesta
Sunday 3 December 2017 12:11, UK
Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde has said defender Samuel Umtiti will have tests on Sunday to determine the extent of an injury to his hamstring.
The Frenchman pulled up abruptly as he was chasing Celta Vigo's Iago Aspas - allowing the striker to run clear and set up Maxi Gomez to score the visitors' equalising goal in their 2-2 draw at the Nou Camp.
Aspas had netted from a rebound to give Celta an unlikely lead before Lionel Messi's first goal in six matches drew his side level and Luis Suarez's strike put the La Liga leaders in front just after the hour mark.
Valverde confirmed he has concerns over Andres Iniesta's fitness too ahead of their Champions League clash against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday after Barcelona's captain asked to be taken off just eight minutes into the second half.
"We think it is a tear," Valverde said of Umtiti. "He has spoken to the doctors but we will have to see the tests tomorrow to discover the extent of the injury.
"It is a problem to lose an important player like Samuel, who was in great form. It cost us the goal, it was an accumulation of catastrophes, because of the draw and the injury.
"(Iniesta) asked for the change. We don't know if it is a significant injury or not because he then continued to play on for a little while longer."
