'It is a problem' - Koeman anxious about Barcelona injury crisis

The Blaugrana have been unable to produce their best football in recent times with a number of first-time players on the sidelines.

FC Barcelona have been largely inconsistent this season, and Ronald Koeman hints this is due to his team ‘lacking players with quality’.

The managerial reins was snatched from Quique Setien and handed to Koeman after Barcelona had failed to stop rival Real Madrid from picking up their record 34th La Liga crown last season.

Little progress, however, has come with the change in management as the Catalans continue to find it hard to keep up with the title contenders.

A long injury list is one of the major reasons for Barca’s substandard performances this term, with Gerard Pique, Sergi Roberto, Ansu Fati, and Philipe Coutinho all currently recovering from injuries.

Samuel Umtiti will also be absent from Sunday’s La Liga outing against Huesca with a stomach illness.

“It is a significant loss,” Koeman told about Coutinho’s injury ahead of the the trip to Huesca, via Marca. “If we talk about Ansu, Pique, Sergi Roberto… almost all have been starters in the team.

“We’re lacking players. It is a problem. We are working with those available, who try to do the maximum, but we are lacking players with quality.

“It’s bad luck. We already have several long-term injuries. For me he has always been important. He has to recover. We have to see how we can make up for Coutinho’s loss.”