Barcelona have announced that centre-back Jeremy Mathieu will be sidelined for the next three weeks with a calf problem.
Mathieu was taken off in the second half of Barca's 1-0 Catalan Super Cup defeat to Espanyol with a calf injury on Tuesday and it was initially hoped he would recover within a few days.
However, the club have now released a statement explaining that the injury is more serious than expected.
"The tests carried out this morning have confirmed that first team player Jeremy Mathieu has an injury in the calf muscle in his right leg," the statement read. "He will out of action for approximately three weeks."
Mathieu joins Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba on the treatment table, leaving Luis Enrique with a shortage of defenders ahead of this weekend's visit from Granada in La Liga.
[COMUNICAT MÈDIC] Jérémy Mathieu estarà al voltant de tres setmanes de baixa. Més informació: https://t.co/FYSjj7Zc0C #FCBlive pic.twitter.com/bYI1fDufn6
- FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_cat) October 26, 2016
Alba and Pique were ruled out for two weeks and three weeks, respectively, after last week's 4-0 Champions League win over Manchester City.
Left-back Alba could be back for the return game against City next week, although Pique is not expected to feature again until after November's international break.
Mathieu, meanwhile, will definitely miss the league games against Granada and Sevilla, and is suspended for Tuesday's trip to Manchester.
He could return to action against Malaga on Nov. 19 at Camp Nou after the international break.
It is the latest in a string of injuries for the Frenchman. He missed three weeks earlier this season with a hamstring problem and ended the last campaign with a calf injury after he had previously made quick comeback from a meniscus problem.
Barca's lack of defenders could see B-team player Marlon Santos called up to the squad this weekend, with Javier Mascherano and Samuel Umtiti the only fit centre-backs Luis Enrique has available.