Barcelona defender undergoes shock facial operation | OneFootball

Barcelona had a relatively injury-free season as far as it goes for a top team competing on multiple fronts, but at the back end of it, have seen their players undergo two surprise operations. On Friday, Barcelona confirmed surgery for teenage right-back Hector Fort.

The 18-year-old full-back has had a curious season, after a highly promising breakout year under Xavi Hernandez. For much of the year, manager Hansi Flick seemed to feel he was a little green, and gave him next to no game time. However in the final weeks of the season, Fort found himself thrown into some key games.

Barcelona announce nose operation for Hector Fort

Barcelona have announced that Fort has undergone surgery on his nose, in a bid to resolve some respiratory issues that have been hampering him during the season. It appears it is to do with his septum. However Fort will only be out of action for a total of four weeks, as reported by Diario AS, thus he should be back in action well in time for the start of Barcelona’s preseason in mid-July.

Image via Denis Doyle/Getty Images

Plans for next season with Fort

Fort only played 21 times this season, a total of 710 minutes and just five starts. Three of those were publicly acknowledged as a consequence of Jules Kounde being punished for tardiness. It amounts to just 134 minutes more than the previous year, despite spending the whole season with the senior side.

That said, the word is that Fort has moved up in Flick’s estimations, and he will continue at the club next season. He is set for a bigger role next year, although it will not hurt his case for more minutes that Barcelona appear to have eased away from the idea of signing a full-back, as was thought to be their plan earlier in the year.