For FC Barcelona, the development and safety of their young players is a massive priority. After all, they are the club’s foundation and also the pillar upon which they wish to build their future upon. Only by trusting them can Barcelona hope to achieve true greatness.
Over the years, there has been a consistent reliance on youngsters at the club and it is something that sets the Catalan giants apart. Instead of simply buying the best players, which is also due to the club’s limited finances, La Blaugrana have devoted a lot of time to develop world beaters.
However, most young gems do not get to go down the same route as Lamine Yamal or other prodigies. Whereas the Spanish winger is now the club’s new number ‘10’, others are still waiting to get their chance to shine at the top level.
One such player who is still waiting in a way is 18-year-old midfielder Marc Bernal. However, being spotted or standing out is not the challenge that he is facing, instead it is his long-term injury that has been holding him back.
Barcelona to remain cautious with Marc Bernal
Almost a year since he last played an official game for the first team, Marc Bernal suffered an ACL injury against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga last season. However, he is now closer than ever to returning for the club but the coaching staff and the club in general seems to be taking a patient approach with him.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Bernal’s return will not be rushed in any way. In fact, he is not expected to play any kind of part in the two upcoming preseason friendlies in Asia, despite the fact that he was included in the final squad for this tour itself by Hansi Flick.
Instead, he has used the opportunity to train and prepare for his upcoming return. While the upcoming game against FC Seoul will be one that he will definitely miss alongside the game after it, there is a possibility that he could play some minutes against Como in the Joan Gamper Trophy game.
The club continues to monitor him
However, beyond what could possibly be a few minutes or a very small cameo, Barcelona plan to keep his involvement to a minimum moving forward. As per MD, the club is looking to stop him from playing until at least the first international break in September.
During this time, Barça will continue to monitor his situation and assess his progression as is already being done. Ultimately, while the Catalan club wants to remain cautious with his recovery, the report also claims that they do not want to unnecessarily keep him sidelined either.
