Barcelona have confirmed that highly rated teenage forward Ebrima Tunkara will be sidelined for approximately six weeks after suffering a ligament injury to his left ankle.

The 16-year-old talent sustained the problem while playing for reserve side Barça Atlètic in a weekend match against CF Vilanova. After being forced off the pitch, subsequent medical evaluations revealed damage to the ligaments in his ankle.

In an official statement released by the Catalan club, Barcelona confirmed the extent of the setback:

“Barça Atlètic player Ebrima Tunkara has a traumatic ligament injury to his left ankle, which occurred during the match against CF Vilanova this Sunday. The approximate time out is six weeks.”

The injury comes at a frustrating juncture for the Spanish youth international, who enjoyed a breakout pre-season with Hansi Flick's senior squad. Tunkara drew widespread praise from first-team staff over the summer and was tipped to be on the verge of senior contention following his progression through the famous La Masia academy.

As a consequence of the six-week layoff, Tunkara will miss upcoming fixtures for Juliano Belletti's reserve squad as well as international duty with the Spanish Under-18 team, who are scheduled to participate in a friendly tournament.

Barcelona medical staff will oversee his rehabilitation, with the expectation that the young attacker will return to full fitness and rejoin the reserve setup later in the autumn.