Barcelona’s summer season has been something however easy, with drama not solely surrounding transfers but additionally the remedy of a few of its brightest prospects. As Lamine Yamal, Marcus Rashford, and Robert Lewandowski put together to steer the assault within the new season, one other story has quietly unfolded within the background — one which leaves a younger star feeling disillusioned.
In keeping with Diario Sport, a promise made by the membership has been damaged, and the fallout might have an effect on not simply the participant in query but additionally the broader ambiance inside Hansi Flick’s squad. The thriller surrounds a midfielder who was imagined to be entering into the first-team highlight this season after an extended restoration from harm.
The participant in query is Marc Bernal, one in all La Masia’s most extremely rated midfielders. Bernal’s journey has been removed from straightforward. Again in August 2024, he suffered a ruptured ACL, a devastating harm that sidelined him for almost a 12 months.
Since then, the 18-year-old has poured himself into rehabilitation, decided not solely to return however to take action stronger than ever. His restoration has been carefully adopted by followers, who anticipated to see him reintegrated into aggressive motion proper after the September worldwide break. However for the younger Spaniard, the return was imagined to imply extra than simply stepping again onto the pitch — it was about lastly being acknowledged as a senior participant at Barcelona.
The damaged promise
Experiences point out that the Blaugrana had given Bernal its phrase: when he got here again, he would put on a first-team squad quantity, symbolizing his commencement from youth prospect to completely fledged first-team member.
As an alternative, monetary points as soon as once more interfered. In keeping with Sport, “As an oblique consequence of the registration issues, Marc will likely be left and not using a first-team quantity, except there’s a last-minute transfer.”
This setback has left Bernal feeling “dissatisfied” and carrying a “bittersweet style” as he prepares for his return. For a participant who has endured a 12 months of hardship, the shortage of recognition from his boyhood membership seems like one other merciless blow.
