La Liga: Samuel Umtiti injury further rubs salt into Barcelona wounds, sidelined for eight weeks

Barcelona: Barcelona`s failure to beat Celta Vigo in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Camp Nou on Saturday was compounded by the news defender Samuel Umtiti will be sidelined for eight weeks due to a torn hamstring.

Umtiti will now be absent for Barca`s visit to Real Madrid in the first Clasico of the season on December 23.

"Tests have confirmed that first team player Samuel Umtiti has a right hamstring injury. The approximate time out is eight weeks," Barcelona said in a statement.

In doubly bad luck for Barca, when the French international pulled up 20 minutes from time, Iago Aspas sprinted in behind the Barca defence and teed up Maxi Gomez to hand Celta a share of the points.

"It was a series of unfortunate incidents in the one move," lamented Barca boss Ernesto Valverde.

Umtiti has been a rock at the heart of the Barca defence as the Catalans had conceded just six goals in their previous 20 games prior to Celta`s visit.

"It is a problem to lose an important player like Samuel, who was in great form."

Umtiti will also miss La Liga clashes with Villarreal, Deportivo la Coruna, Levante, Real Sociedad, Real Betis and Alaves either side of Spain`s winter break, as well as the last 16 and potentially the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey should Barca progress.

However, he should be fit to return for the Champions League last 16 in February with Barca already having secured their place in the knockout phase as Group D winners.

Barca captain Andres Iniesta also asked to be replaced just five minutes into the second half.

However, Valverde is more optimistic that his absence won`t be a prolonged one.

"He asked for the change," said Valverde.

"We don`t know if it is a significant injury or not because he then continued to play on for a little while longer."Celta became the first visiting side in La Liga to take anything away from the Camp Nou since Real Madrid a year ago."

"They took advantage of counter-attacks and our mistakes, it is a shame," said Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets.

Aspas sprung Barca`s offside trap to put Celta in front on the break after Marc-Andre ter Stegen had produced a stunning save from Gomez after 20 minutes.

However, Barca went on to dominate the rest of the game and turned the match around thanks to goals from Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez before Umtiti`s unfortunate injury.

"We showed more, we went for the game more and we were more intense, but football is like this," added Busquets.

"It`s not about what is fair, it is about who scores most goals.

"They scored twice, they were efficient and got a point."

Barca did remain unbeaten and opened a five-point lead at the top over Valencia.

However, Valencia can whittle that down to two points with victory at Getafe on Sunday.

Real and Atletico Madrid can close to within six points of the leaders with victory over Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad respectively later on Saturday.