Serious injury to Marc Bernal, FC Barcelona's promising young player

Barcelona will lose its first-choice midfielder for the first three matchdays, as Marc Bernal bids farewell to his first season in the elite. The 17-year-old academy player suffered a serious injury to his left knee, which is slowing down his extraordinary development after the trust that Hansi Flick has placed in him. He will undergo surgery in the next few days.

The tests the player underwent yesterday after the blow in Vallecas confirmed the worst omens for Bernal. He has torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, in addition to a meniscus injury that will keep him out of action for much of the season. It is the same injury that Gavi suffered with Spain in November 2023 and ten months later the Andalusian footballer has still not resurfaced.

Hard blow

The local player suffers from the same injury as Gavi, who has still not reappeared ten months later

The clock was ticking in the 97th minute when the young player made a final attempt to cover the right flank and intercept Isi's advance to defend Olmo's one-two. The two players collided and Bernal took the brunt of the impact. His teammates of the same age, Cubarsí and Koundé, quickly realised that the injury could be dangerous.

Already on Tuesday evening, initial examinations of the affected area indicated that he had torn his cruciate ligament. Bernal left the field in severe pain, supported by the team doctor and an assistant, and later had to leave the Vallecas stadium on crutches.

Key piece

Bernal, who started the first three games, was injured in the 97th minute after a collision with Isi

This Wednesday, the young player from the club's youth team traveled to the sports city to undergo the crucial medical tests. It is a heavy emotional blow for him, as he had settled into the starting line-up with astonishing maturity. But also for Barça, which had finally found a midfielder from the youth academy who could play in this specific position and fill the gap left by Busquets when he left for Miami in 2023.

The Blaugrana sporting management had already considered the squad complete before this setback. Now they have three days to decide whether to sign a reinforcement before the stock market closes, because Frenkie de Jong, Gavi or even Christensen, who could potentially take his place, are all injured.

De Jong, Gavi and even Christensen are injured

If Barça decides not to strengthen the position, Marc Casadó and Pau Prim are available as solutions for home play.

At the moment, Flick's best option is to repeat the game and use a playmaker from the youth academy. He has two options. Marc Casadó, the most experienced, is already part of the first team and played at Mestalla, but as an attacking midfielder. Pau Prim, an 18-year-old, is a more academic playmaker, but has spent pre-season with the reserve team, where he only started three games last season.