Joao Rojas Likely to Miss Important Match Against Libertad

Loja, Ecuador — Joao Rojas is expected to miss Barcelona‘s crucial match against Libertad on Saturday due to a knee injury. Rojas, who was substituted in the 80th minute of the previous game after sustaining a blow to his knee, has yet to return to full training this week.

The injury has been diagnosed as a contusion to the vastus medialis of his left leg. Following the incident, Rojas applied ice to his knee to ease the pain. Barcelona confirmed that he has undergone several therapy sessions in recent days, making his participation highly unlikely.

Barcelona’s head coach Ismael Rescalvo expressed concern over Rojas’ injury situation. Given Rojas’ lengthy recovery from a previous injury in 2024, Rescalvo prefers not to risk the player for this match. He emphasized the importance of having Rojas fully fit for upcoming critical games that could determine their spot in the CONMEBOL Libertadores 2026 group stage.

This weekend’s match is set for 19:00 at the Estadio Reina de El Cisne in Loja. Barcelona faces a challenging encounter against Libertad, which aims to keep alive its slim hopes of qualifying for the repechaje of next season’s Libertadores.