Ousmane Dembele injury: Barcelona forward suffers fresh hamstring problem ahead of Inter Milan game

Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele has picked up another hamstring problem, the Catalan club said on Saturday.

Dembele returned to action from a hamstring injury sustained on the opening day of the season, coming off the bench in the 2-1 win at home to Villarreal on Tuesday, but he was left out of the champions’ 2-0 victory at Getafe on Saturday.

Coach Ernesto Valverde said afterwards that the winger had not been selected as a precaution, but the club later confirmed he has an injury.

“Tests carried out on the first team player Ousmane Dembele have concluded that he has a hamstring strain in his left leg,” Barca said on their website on Saturday night.

“His recovery will dictate his return to action.”

The 22-year-old now looks unlikely to be fit for Barca’s Champions League clash at home to Inter Milan on Wednesday night and must also be a huge doubt for the Catalans’ La Liga clash with Sevilla at Camp Nou next weekend.

Dembele’s absence comes at a delicate time for the Blaugrana, with Lionel Messi currently out with an adductor injury and youngster Ansu Fati having missed the Getafe game with a tendon problem.