Barcelona defender’s sudden departure comes as major blow for Hansi Flick | OneFootball

FC Barcelona defender Inigo Martinez is set to leave the club imminently, with a move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr now close to being completed.

It came as a surprise considering that the 34-year-old had been a big part of the success that the Catalans achieved last season, winning the domestic treble.

Martinez’s exit a blow for Hansi Flick

As reported by SPORT, the sudden departure of Martinez is a severe setback for Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, who is a huge admirer of the Basque defender and now finds himself without one of his most trusted players.

From the start of pre-season last year, Flick quickly recognised Inigo’s value and how seamlessly he fit into his high-risk tactical setup.

While many assumed Ronald Araujo or even Andreas Christensen would be ahead of him in the pecking order, the German coach was thrilled with the veteran’s performances and leadership.

A leader says goodbye. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

Inigo formed a fine pairing with Pau Cubarsi at the heart of a defence that operated with an extremely high line and constant pressure. He became the leader of the team, always ready to guide younger teammates and speak up when needed.

His performances were so convincing that he left Araujo without minutes when the Uruguayan returned from injury in January. As the only natural left-footed centre-back in the squad, the veteran combined physical strength with precision passing and defensive nous.

With only eight days before the start of the new season, the Cubarsi-Inigo duo was seen as untouchable. In fact, there was even talk of the 34-year-old entering the leadership group as one of the club captains this season.

As such, losing Martinez is a crushing blow for Flick, particularly given how perfectly he fit into the system. This setback may explain why the manager began testing Gerard Martin in the left-centre-back role during the pre-season tour.