Lucy Bronze injury: Barcelona allay latest England fears after Champions League blow against Chelsea

Barcelona manager Jonatan Giraldez has insisted that the knee injury suffered by Lucy Bronze in their Champions League semi-final first-leg tie against Chelsea is not as bad as first feared.

Right-back Bronze, a key player for England, came back into the Barca starting XI for Saturday’s lunchtime clash at Stamford Bridge, but limped off in the second half.

With Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses already preparing for a World Cup campaign this summer without star striker Beth Mead and now captain Leah Williamson, due to their respective ACL ruptures, England fans will have been fearing the worst after another major injury concern.

Bronze eventually returned from the tunnel to take her place in the dugout for the final minutes of the match. She had her right knee heavily iced, but Barcelona boss Giraldez believes the injury may not be a serious one.

“It was something in her knee, but now she is fine,” he said. “In the moment, we made the substitution because it looked bad. But in this moment the feeling is really good.”

Bronze left Manchester City to join Barcelona in June 2022. She has been an England international since 2013, playing 103 times and scoring 12 goals.