Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati set for five-month injury layoff after surgery on leg fracture

Barcelona Femeni’s Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder Aitana Bonmati is set to be sidelined for five months after undergoing surgery on a leg fracture.

The Catalan club confirmed on Tuesday the 27-year-old had undergone successful surgery on the fracture to her left fibula and stated the expected recovery time was “around five months”, ruling her out of the majority of 2025-26.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said on Sunday that Bonmati had suffered the injury after landing awkwardly during a “chance incident” in training while on international duty.

It was confirmed on Monday the three-time Ballon d’Or winner would undergo surgery, and her club confirmed this was performed at Barcelona Hospital under the supervision of the club’s medical staff.

The prognosis for return means Bonmati is unlikely to be available until the beginning of May. Spain’s Liga F season runs until the end of May, while the Women’s Champions League final will take place across the weekend of May 22-24. Barcelona have reached each of the most recent five Champions League finals.

Barcelona and Spain are already without fellow midfielder Patri Guijarro, who in October was ruled out for 12 weeks with a stress fracture to her right foot.

Bonmati, who was named the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner in September and was player of the tournament at the 2025 European Championship, started the first leg of the Nations League final against Germany on Friday, which finished in a 0-0 draw. The second leg takes place in Madrid on Tuesday.

Speaking about Bonmati’s injury during Monday’s pre-match press conference, Spain head coach Sonia Bermudez said: “It’s a huge loss. We were a bit down yesterday because it’s tough when a teammate is injured. We hope she recovers as soon as possible.

“But the team is doing well, they know we’ll have all the support in the world. We want to dedicate this victory to those who are injured.”

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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