Barca's Busquets out of trip to Atletico Madrid

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Sergio Busquets (L) of Spain vies with Sardar Azmoun (C) of Iran during a Group B match between Spain and Iran at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Kazan, Russia, June 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)

FC Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets will miss his side's La Liga visit to Atletico Madrid on Saturday and probably the following week's Champions League trip to play Dynamo Kiev after the club confirmed he suffered a knee injury in Spain's 1-1 draw with Switzerland last Saturday.

Busquets underwent a test on his left knee on Wednesday morning after returning from international duty and the club's medical services diagnosed a twisted lateral ligament in his left knee.

Although the club did not say how long the 32-year-old will be out of action, there is no way he will be fit for the weekend and his presence in Kiev also seems highly unlikely.

Although the veteran has not been in his best form this season, Busquets' absence is a problem for Barca coach Ronald Koeman as Miralem Pjanic and Frenkie de Jong, who are now likely to be his first choice central midfielders away to Atletico, don't play their respective international games in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Poland until this Wednesday night and will have little time to recover and prepare for the game.

The good news for Koeman is that Philippe Coutinho will probably be available after completing Tuesday's training session with the first team squad. The Brazilian hasn't played since suffering a hamstring injury in Barca's Champions League win against Juventus on October 28th.

Atletico will also be without key players at the weekend after former Barca striker Luis Suarez tested positive for the coronavirus, while central defenders Stefan Savic and Mario Hermoso, midfielder Hector Herrera and striker Diego Costa are also ruled out of Saturday's key game. 

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