Barcelona homegrown midfielder unlikely to return until March as he continues recovery | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have been without one of their key midfielders, Gavi, for more than two months now.

The Spanish international is recovering from an internal meniscus injury in his knee, for which he had to undergo arthroscopic surgery back in September.

Gavi unlikely to return until March 2026

Earlier today, Barcelona held their final training session before hosting Atletico Madrid this Tuesday at the Spotify Camp Nou.

And, the session offered a small surprise as Gavi appeared on the pitch for a short time, although he did not take part in group work.

And, according to SPORT, even though he stepped onto the pitch for a few moments while his teammates trained, the midfield ace is not expected to return until March.

Gavi wanted to come out onto the field for a few minutes during the session today. And he did so without crutches, which is a positive sign in a recovery process that is progressing as planned.

Gavi’s meniscus was sutured in order to preserve it. This procedure extends the recovery period but offers greater long-term protection.

The club’s medical staff estimate a total absence of between four and five months, meaning he is not expected to return to competition until the end of February or, more likely, the beginning of March.

In the meantime, the Spanish international will continue with his individual rehabilitation plan, depending on how his knee responds in the coming weeks.

This is the second major knee injury suffered by Gavi, who hopes to be an important figure this season once he returns, especially with the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon.