There’s a world of difference between the early Gerard Martín with the first team and the player he is now, but this has not been a surprise to Hansi Flick. His current form closely resembles what he showed during training sessions, but back in those early minutes, he had yet to loosen up and gain confidence.
Flick believed in him, and when Balde was injured towards the end of last season, something clicked. Even in matches where he struggled (as in the duel with Dumfries, which didn’t always go his way), he managed to stay composed and find his moments. For instance, in Milan, during the return leg against Inter, he was involved in the play leading to the equalizer, but he had also provided a spectacular assist prior. Mistakes and successes that helped him undergo a personal masterclass and arrive this season much better prepared.
During preseason, Flick even tried him as an alternative for the center of the defense, as without Iñigo, Barça was left without a left-footed profile. While this experiment showed promise, with Balde’s injury, it appears Gerard will take over in the starting lineup. After the registration issues were resolved, Gerard played some minutes in Vallecas and now has the opportunity to continue as a starter.
Where does Jofre stand?
With Balde out for around three weeks, Gerard Martín is poised to be in Flick’s starting eleven at least against Valencia, Newcastle, and Getafe. The alternative will be Jofre, whom Flick wanted to give some game time in preseason but remains behind Balde in the rotation. The youth academy product has shown that offensively he is closer to Balde than Gerard is, but he also makes more unforced errors and is less precise with his crosses.
The young 18-year-old full-back still needs to undergo the process of gaining naturalness and confidence with the first team to showcase his best version. That’s his current focus, and Balde’s injury will also force Flick to keep him integrated with the first team’s dynamics after the international break.
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