Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia speaks on injury progress and expected return | OneFootball

Because of the October international break, there are no La Liga matches scheduled for this weekend. While several FC Barcelona players are away on national team duty, those who were not called up have a rare chance to rest and recharge amid a demanding schedule.

Two such players taking advantage of this break are Joan Garcia and Eric Garcia, who were spotted together at the Palau Blaugrana attending the EuroLeague basketball game between Barcelona and Valencia Basket.

During the event, Joan Garcia spoke to Movistar (h/t Mundo Deportivo) and offered an encouraging update on his recovery process following surgery on the internal meniscus of his left knee performed on September 27.

“The recovery is going very well, and I expect to be back in about a month, more or less,” said the Blaugrana goalkeeper, who added, “We’ll see how I progress, but for now, everything is going well.”

Joan Garcia sustained the injury on September 25 during the closing moments of the Oviedo–Barcelona match in the league. As a result, he is not expected to be available for the upcoming El Clásico against Real Madrid on October 26.

If his recovery extends to the full six-week timeframe initially estimated, he could also miss fixtures against Girona, Olympiacos, Elche, Club Brugge, and Celta Vigo.

Seated next to him, Eric Garcia expressed his fondness for basketball: “I really like basketball, I love coming to watch games whenever I can because there’s always a great atmosphere,” he said.

Joan Garcia, meanwhile, admitted he was enjoying the new experience. “I like basketball too, but not as much as Eric. I’ve never been this close to the court before, and I’m really enjoying it,” he smiled.