Benfica target injured in Barcelona-Celta Vigo, worrying Martínez | OneFootball

Alarm bells rang during the match between Barcelona and Celta de Vigo after João Cancelo was forced to leave the game in the first half due to injury. The full-back felt discomfort in the knee area in the 23rd minute, eventually sitting down on the pitch visibly limited, which led to the medical team’s intervention.

After receiving treatment, the Portugal international - who had been linked with Benfica - did not return to the game and was ultimately replaced by Alejandro Baldé. Despite the scare, the winger managed to leave the pitch on his own feet towards the dressing room, in a situation that concerns Roberto Martínez, who considers the full-back an important piece in the build-up to the 2026 World Cup.

The only goal of the match came in the 40th minute through Lamine Yamal, from the penalty spot, in a moment that ended up being associated with another negative episode for Barcelona, as the young winger also finished the move with muscle discomfort in his right leg.

In a game also marked by a long interruption due to an emergency in the stands, Barcelona reached 82 points, nine more than Real Madrid, and moved closer to retaining the title, although with two major headaches for the upcoming fixtures.

This season, for Barcelona, João Cancelo — valued at 9 million euros — has already made 17 official appearances for the Catalans: 10 in La Liga, four in the Champions League and three in the Copa del Rey.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.