Barcelona agree to limited game time for recovering midfielder in upcoming friendly | OneFootball

Barcelona have taken a thoughtful approach to the development of their young midfielder Marc Bernal, allowing him to feature for the Catalonia national team in a friendly clash against Palestine on 18 November.

The 18-year-old talent has only recently returned to full fitness after a serious ACL injury that sidelined him for much of last season. 

Given his long road to recovery, Barcelona’s coaching and medical staff are determined to handle his comeback with the utmost care.

According to SPORT, the agreement between Barcelona and the Catalan national team stipulates that Bernal will only participate in the first 45 minutes of the match. 

Even though it is just a friendly, the game represents a vital opportunity for the youngster to regain rhythm and confidence after such a long absence.

Barcelona are being cautious

Since returning from injury, Bernal has found game time hard to come by. 

He has played just 32 minutes across five appearances, making brief cameos in fixtures such as the 6-0 win over Valencia, as well as in the Champions League encounters against Paris Saint-Germain and Olympiacos, and the La Liga clash with Oviedo. 

Marc Bernal will feature for the Catalonia national team. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

His most recent minutes came in Vigo, where he appeared once again in a limited role.

Despite this, the midfielder’s attitude has been nothing short of professional. 

Bernal understands the situation

The outlet mentions that he remains “eager to have a greater role and to add quality minutes,” fully aware that the staff’s cautious approach is in his best interest.

This upcoming friendly is an excellent chance for both Bernal and Barcelona. 

For the player, it is a step closer to rediscovering his best form and for the club, it is a low-risk opportunity to monitor his progress in a competitive setting.

Furthermore, with Frenkie de Jong suspended and Pedri yet to return, there might be an opening in midfield for Barça’s next La Liga fixture against Athletic Club on 22 November.