FC Barcelona have suffered a major blow ahead of a crucial phase in their season, as star striker Robert Lewandowski has been ruled out with a left thigh muscle injury sustained during international duty with Poland. The club confirmed on Tuesday that the 37-year-old has suffered a muscle injury in the biceps femoris of his left thigh, with his recovery time depending on how the injury progresses.

The setback comes at a pivotal moment for the Catalan giants, who are preparing for the highly anticipated El Clasico against Real Madrid on October 26 at the Santiago Bernabu. While Barcelona have not provided an official timeline for Lewandowski’s return, Spanish media reports suggest he could be sidelined for four to six weeks, making him a major doubt for the showdown against their arch-rivals.

Lewandowski played the full 90 minutes and scored Poland’s second goal in their 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Lithuania on Sunday. Although he appeared fit during the match, scans conducted upon his return to Barcelona revealed the extent of the injury.

The Polish captain’s absence adds to an already growing injury list for coach Hansi Flick, who is also without Raphinha, Gavi, and Dani Olmo, all dealing with muscle or fitness issues. Goalkeeper Marc-Andr ter Stegen is still recovering from back surgery and remains unavailable.

Despite these setbacks, Barcelona could receive a timely boost with the possible return of Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez after the international break. Both players are expected to rejoin training and may feature in upcoming fixtures.

Lewandowski has been a vital figure for Barcelona this season, contributing four goals in nine appearances for the club, along with two goals for Poland. His experience and clinical finishing will be sorely missed as Barcelona aim to close the two-point gap behind Real Madrid after eight La Liga rounds.

With El Clasico looming, Flick faces a difficult task in reshaping his attack and maintaining momentum across La Liga and European competitions.

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