Barca midfielder Rafinha out for 6 months after knee surgery

By foxsports
Published

BARCELONA, Spain --

Barcelona says midfielder Rafinha will be sidelined for six months after having surgery on torn ligaments in his right knee.

Rafinha injured his leg during Wednesday's 1-1 draw at Roma in the Champions League.

Rafinha had been expected to get more playing time to help fill the void left by Pedro Rodriguez after his departure for Chelsea this summer.

Now Barcelona coach Luis Enrique will have to manage a smaller squad until Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal can start playing when the club's one-year ban on new players expires at the end of 2015.

Rafinha's older brother, Thiago Alcantara, has twice needed surgery after damaging ligaments in his right leg. Thiago played for Barcelona before leaving for Bayern Munich in 2013.