BARCELONA FORWARD LUIS Suarez will be out for four to five weeks with a knee injury, it has been confirmed.
The Uruguay international suffered the blow as Barcelona were beaten 2-0 by Real Madrid in the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup as Barca’s arch-rivals won the tie 5-1 on aggregate.
Suarez was able to finish Wednesday’s contest at the Santiago Bernabeu but was visibly limping in the closing stages.
And the Uruguayan Football Association confirmed in a statement that Barca had communicated Suarez will need to four to five weeks of rehabilitation, meaning he will miss the start the new Liga season as well as two key World Cup qualifiers for his country.
The former Liverpool forward will be on the sidelines for the Liga opener with Real Betis and the games with Alaves and city rivals Espanyol, as well as Barca’s first Champions League group stage fixture.
He could also potentially miss the matches with Getafe and Eibar.
For Uruguay, Suarez will be unavailable to face Argentina and Paraguay in World Cup qualifying.
Uruguay are third in Conmebol’s qualifying group but only one point ahead of Argentina in the intercontinental play-off spot and three clear of Ecuador in sixth.
Barca have also confirmed Gerard Pique sustained a groin strain and is a doubt for the Betis game.
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