Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick will be running the rule over several La Masia youngsters during pre-season, but one player that was on his radar has been dealt a cruel injury blow – thus ruining his chances of a promotion to the first team.

Last weekend, Barcelona started their pre-season schedule, and as part of this, a number of La Masia talents have been training with the first team. Among them has been Ibrahim Diarra, who joined the club last December, and has made a big impact during his short time in Catalonia.

Diarra, who can play on either wing and as an attacking midfielder, has impressed Flick and his coaching staff over the last week, and the plan was for him to be included in the squad for the tour of Asia. However, this will no longer be the case.

In a statement, Barcelona have confirmed that Diarra has suffered a thigh injury, which has ruled him out of the pre-season tour of Asia.

“Ibrahim Diarra has a muscle tear in the rectus femoris of his right leg. He will not travel with the first team for the tour in Japan and Korea, and his return to the team dynamics will be determined based on his recovery progress.”

Diarra set for 3-4 weeks out

MD have speculated that Diarra will be out for 3-4 weeks, meaning that he will play no further part in pre-season. It’s a big blow for him, as his chances of staking his claim for promotion to the Barcelona first team have suffered a significant setback.

However, all is not lost for Diarra, who is likely to be regularly involved for Barca Atletic during the 2025-26 season. He will surely have chances to impress Flick if he plays well for the B team, so a promotion over the next 12 months is not ruled out.