Vermaelen out 4 weeks with torn calf muscle

Thomas Vermaelen's injury woes continue to plague the Belgian defender.

Barcelona's center-back is set for an approximate one-month spell on the sidelines after tearing a right calf muscle during his side's weekend match against Levante, the club announced.

Vermaelen was replaced by Arthur at the 52-minute mark of Barcelona's 5-0 win after feeling discomfort in his right calf. Medical tests later confirmed the severity of his injury.

The 33-year-old's absence will leave the center of Barcelona's defense in a bind; Samuel Umtiti's lingering knee issue leaves Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet as the only healthy center-back options. Vermaelen also provided manager Ernesto Valverde with an emergency option at left-back behind Jordi Alba.

Vermaelen has dealt with a seemingly never-ending list of injuries since joining the Blaugrana from Arsenal in 2014. He's been limited to just six total appearances across all competitions this season and only rejoined the squad earlier this month after missing 10 matches with a hamstring issue.