Valverde: Dembele's injury looks like a muscle tear

Ousmane Dembele lasted just six minutes of Barcelona's defeat to Celta Vigo and Ernesto Valverde is worried he has torn a muscle.

Barcelona head coach Ernesto Valverde believes Ousmane Dembele tore a hamstring muscle during the La Liga champion's 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo on Saturday.

The 21-year was substituted just six minutes into the clash, with the club later confirming he had suffered a hamstring problem that would be assessed on Sunday. 

Valverde revealed the likely extent of the injury, which looks set to rule Dembele out of Barca's Champions League semifinal second leg at Liverpool.

 

"With Dembele, it looks like a tear," he said. "We had already noticed during the play that something was not right. 

"We were worried quickly because it seems like a muscular tear.

"It is certainly not muscle fatigue because the other day he played very little [in Barca's Champions League win over Liverpool on Wednesday]. 

"These things happen and as a coach I do not have an explanation."

Barca travels to Anfield on Tuesday with a 3-0 first-leg advantage to protect.