Jordi Alba Reportedly Facing Month out After Injury in Barcelona vs. Slavia

Barcelona's Jordi Alba is reportedly facing up to a month on the sidelines after a recurrence of the hamstring injury that saw him miss three weeks earlier this term. 

The left-back had to be replaced at half-time in Barca's 0-0 draw with Slavia Prague in the UEFA Champions League at the Camp Nou on Tuesday.

According to German Bona of Sport, Alba "suffered a relapse of a hamstring injury" that he picked up against Borussia Dortmund back on September 17, and he could now be out for a month with Barca looking to be "extra precautious."

It is a big blow for Barca. Alba has only been able to start six of the Blaugrana's 11 La Liga games this season, and they have lost two of the matches he has missed.

Alba is a vital attacking outlet for Barcelona. In the past two triumphant La Liga seasons, Alba has provided a combined 16 assists.

That is a superb outlay for a full-back, and his relationship with Lionel Messi is particularly effective:

Barca have hardly struggled for goals so far this term, netting 29 times in La Liga, more than any other side.

However, they have sometimes been lacking in variety in 2019-20, leading to results like Tuesday's, and Saturday's shock 3-1 defeat to Levante. 

When Alba is in the side, he is an alternative outlet down the left flank and provides opposition defenders with even more to deal with.

In the 30-year-old's absence, 23-year-old Junior Firpo will likely come back into the first team, starting with Saturday's visit of Celta Vigo to the Camp Nou.

A silver lining for Barca is that after the Celta game, there is an international break, meaning one fewer club match for Alba to miss.

Per Bona, his earliest likely return date is November 27, when Barcelona face Dortmund again in the Champions League.