No one will be happier to see Marc Bernal make his comeback on Sunday against Valencia than Hansi Flick.
Granted, it will be a gradual process to get the 18-year-old back to full fitness. Coming back from an ACL injury is never easy, and there are no guarantees that you’ll simply pick up where you left off, just ask Gavi.
Hopefully, for the young Marc Bernal, the comeback will be smooth.
Serious knee injuries can happen to anyone, but the position you play, and how you play it, can impact the speed at which you return to the game, and the likelihood of experiencing setbacks.
Technically, Gavi and Marc Bernal are in direct competition for a place in Flick’s double pivot setup. Gavi, however, will spend more of his time covering ground as a pseudo box to box. He is also a physical player who instinctively puts his body on the line.
Gavi will be sidelined for a while, and Frenkie de Jong may join him.
Marc Casadó, the other Marc who burst onto the scene in Flick’s first year in charge, will have a golden opportunity in front of him as the default starter alongside Pedri.
Marc Bernal, however, may also have a chance to pick up critical minutes off the bench, where he will try, once again, to capture the imagination of his coach.
Let’s not forget that Bernal looked destined to be Flick’s surprise breakthrough star a year ago. Few people saw it coming that a little known 17-year-old La Masia talent would earn the confidence of the first-year Barca boss so quickly.
With Bernal on the field, Flick will get something totally different than what he gets from Gavi, Frenkie, and Casadó. Pedri, in turn, will have a partner who enables him to push higher up the field, and ideally, with whom he can better control the midfield.
If there’s one player whose presence could change Barcelona in a big way at the moment, it may very well be Bernal.
Barcelona could have more meaningful possession, with new options emerging for how they build the attack, and how they break through opponents, regardless of how they set up defensively. It could be argued that outside of Pedri, Flick isn’t getting enough creativity from the midfield.
Defensively, Bernal could also be a help to the backline. He is a big body, which will help with defending set pieces, a weakness of Barcelona. He can also provide cover to the high defensive line, helping as an extra line of defense who can win balls in the air, and also duels on the ground as well. Most importantly, however, is what he can provide as a technician. Barca’s defense is at its best when opponents can’t touch the ball.
Patience is obligatory. It will take time to get back to his best. Over the course of this season, even if he impresses Flick, his minutes rightfully will be managed.
At the same time, it’s worth getting excited about his return.
Marc Bernal is a unique talent, who is cut from the same cloth as other Blaugrana greats.
It’s early in the season, but we already know that Barcelona is asking themselves questions. Which lineup of players makes them better than they were last season?
Expect Flick to continue experimenting, and expect Marc Bernal to be a new variable to throw into the equation.
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