Kounde, Garcia & Olmo - Barcelona injury news for Aston Villa Champions League 2026-27 clash

A few big names are injured for the Blaugrana.

Barcelona will host Aston Villa at Camp Nou in a crucial league-phase fixture of the UEFA Champions League 2026-27 on Tuesday night. The Catalan giants will look to get back to winning ways in their continental campaign, having suffered a demoralising defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in their last outing.

The Blaugrana suffered a 4-2 loss at Parc des Princes, bringing an end to their unbeaten status. The Catalan giants then lost 2-1 to Real Madrid in El Clásico in LaLiga. Barcelona remain at the top of the LaLiga table and inside the automatic qualification places in the Champions League.

Hansi Flick will hope that his side can secure all three points against Villa. However, the German head coach faces a defensive headache ahead of this crucial clash, with several defenders remaining injury doubts.

Also Read: Barcelona vs Aston Villa Preview, prediction, injury news & lineups

Jules Kounde & Eric Garcia ruled out

According to Spanish journalist Alfredo Martinez, both Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia will not be available against Aston Villa.

Kounde will be the biggest miss for Flick, with the Frenchman suffering a left ankle sprain against Real Betis. As a result, he missed the Clasico clash against Real Madrid and the following league match against Deportivo Alaves. He is also expected to miss the match against Aston Villa.

Eric Garcia is also unlikely to feature against the Villans, according to Alfredo Martinez. The former Manchester City defender suffered a right thigh injury in October, with Barcelona initially estimating a recovery period of three to four weeks.

Garcia is nearing his return to the pitch and has trained individually ahead of the upcoming Champions League clash. However, the match against Villa has come too soon for the versatile defender.

Andreas Christensen faces a similar situation, according to Spanish publication SPORT. The Danish centre-back injured his left thigh shortly before the international break during the match against Sevilla. As a result, he has been out of action since September.

Journalist Achraf Ben Ayad reported that Christensen had taken part in part of Barcelona’s group training session on Sunday. However, Flick is unlikely to risk him against Villa, given Christensen’s injury record.

Xavi Espart & Dani Olmo also injured

Xavi Espart is another defender who will miss the Villa clash. The La Masia graduate has been one of the standout players for the Blaugrana. However, he suffered a high ankle sprain following a collision with Aurelien Tchouameni during El Clásico. He is expected to be out for seven weeks.

Dani Olmo suffered a left abductor muscle injury against PSG and is expected to be out for almost a month. The midfielder will be out until after the next international break. His absence will limit Flick’s attacking options.

Another attacker, Roony Bardghji, is a long-term absentee due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

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