Barcelona are gearing up for their La Liga debut against RCD Mallorca on Saturday night, but are unlikely to have Marc Bernal with them. The 18-year-old midifelder has spent the past year recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which he suffered at the start of last season.
Bernal has been back in training for some time, and completed the entirety of the preseason with the first team. Despite some suggestion that he could be back in action in the Joan Gamper trophy, Bernal remained in the stands though.
The Blaugrana are in little need of him currently, with Marc Casado, Frenkie de Jong and Gavi all capable of playing his role in midfield. However Bernal will not be competing with them until at least September, say MD. They note that Bernal is training at the same intensity as his teammates, and his recovery is on track, but that his return to action will not come until September, and after the international break.
In mind is Barcelona’s first home game of the season on the 14th of September against Valencia, when he could return to action.
The Blaugrana have set a different recovery standard for younger players returning from cruciate ligament or serious injuries of the like. While some senior players in recent years have returned after as a little as six or seven months, Barcelona’s medical staff feel that players that are still growing should have a slower and more careful recovery. Similarly, Gavi returned from his ACL injury a little more than 11 months after his return.
Bernal sparked widespread excitement at Barcelona at the start of last season, with Hansi Flick starting him in the first three games of the year before his injury. Bernal looked at home in midfield, and many wondered if he had a long-term future in the first team.
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They should not risk him