Barcelona’s faithful may witness a much-anticipated moment on Tuesday. According to MD, Iñigo Martínez, stands ready for what he’s been patiently waiting for. Fully recovered from plantar fasciitis and having played a few minutes in recent matches against Osasuna and Betis, the Champions League debut against Antwerp (21:00 CET) presents the perfect opportunity for Xavi Hernández to include the Ondarroa native in the starting eleven.
Expectations are that the Egarense coach will make changes. With Koundé and Christensen starting in every La Liga game and Araujo nursing injuries without being called up, Iñigo Martínez emerges as a potential starter against Van Bommel’s team. The Frenchman has played every possible minute for Barça (450 mins), along with 115 minutes for France. On the other hand, the Dane has participated in 336 minutes as a Blaugrana and another 90 with Denmark, accumulating a substantial workload for the beginning of the season.
Martínez’s time to shine
Iñigo Martínez came off a season with limited playtime due to injuries. The Basque also had a complete rift with Athletic Bilbao over contract renewa. However, he is considered one of the best central defenders in the Spanish competition. Furthermore, the former Athletic Bilbao player has earned 20 caps for Spain in international appearances.
While he may not be the first-choice defender when all center-backs are available, the Basque central defender could potentially be a surprise inclusion, much like Christensen was last season. Christensen made the leap to Barcelona after more than 400 appearances in La Liga, at the age of 32, becoming the most experienced defender in the Blaugrana’s backline.
Much needed depth
Iñigo Martínez’s arrival at Barcelona didn’t create much media hype. Whether it was because the player arrived with an injury that kept him out for the entire preseason, his signing was widely anticipated from the beginning of the year, or he was overshadowed by other acquisitions like Gündogan or the ‘Joãos,’ the Basque defender didn’t initially generate much excitement among the Culés. This overshadowed the fact that he’s a top-class defender from Ondarroa.
Rotations are expected in the match against Antwerp. Gündogan is set to start. Furthermore, Marcos Alonso, Raphinha, and Lamine Yamal have a chance to make it to the starting eleven. Sergi Roberto might give Cancelo, who played the full 90 minutes against Betis, a well-deserved rest. This fixture could be marked by tactical adjustments. It’s also a chance to give players like Iñigo Martínez the platform to prove their worth on the European stage.
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