Barcelona will be without Frenkie de Jong for up to six weeks after the midfielder injured the distal biceps in his right leg during training.
The club announced the setback for the 28-year-old Netherlands international, leaving Barca without one of its regular midfield options during a tight stretch at the top of La Liga.
De Jong has made 31 appearances in all competitions this season, including 19 in La Liga. The Gorinchem native is in his seventh season at Camp Nou.
His league record with Barcelona now stands at 196 appearances and 15 goals.
Internationally, de Jong has been capped 64 times by the Oranje since making his senior debut in 2018. The Ajax academy product played at Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, then missed Euro 2024 because of an ankle injury.
Barca enter their next match leading the table with 61 points from 25 matches, one point ahead of Real Madrid.
The immediate test comes against Villarreal, with Barcelona needing to manage the midfield without de Jong while protecting their narrow lead.