Barcelona receive encouraging news on Eric Garcia after Spain withdrawal | OneFootball

Barcelona have received positive news regarding Eric Garcia after the defender returned early from Spain duty with a knee problem.

According to Alex Pintanel, there is nothing serious regarding Garcia’s discomfort, and the decision to send him back to Barcelona was taken as a mere precaution rather than because of a major injury. 

The defender is therefore expected to be available for Barcelona’s next La Liga fixture against Getafe on October 10.

Garcia experienced the issue during the warm-up before Spain’s match against England. Rather than risk aggravating the problem during the international break, the Spanish medical staff opted for caution.

Eric Garcia returns to Barcelona as a precaution

Notably, Garcia felt discomfort in his left knee shortly before the match, and medical examinations subsequently confirmed the problem, although there were no indications of a significant injury.

The defender will now continue his recovery in Barcelona, where further assessment will give the club a clearer picture of his condition.

Eric Garcia was withdrawn from Spanish national team duty. (Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images)

Spain have decided not to take any unnecessary risks with the Barcelona player, with Robin Le Normand set to replace Garcia for the upcoming Nations League fixtures.

Garcia has become an important player for Flick

Garcia’s importance to Flick’s plans has grown considerably during the opening weeks of the season.

The defender has accumulated 469 minutes across Barcelona’s first eight matches, placing him seventh among the squad’s most-used players. 

He is also well ahead of Jules Kounde, who has played 261 minutes and currently sits 17th in that ranking.

His early return from Spain is therefore something Barcelona will monitor closely, even if the initial indications are positive.

Furthermore, with the next league game scheduled for October 10, Garcia has time to recover fully before Getafe’s visit.

Garcia has already shown his commitment this season

Eric Garcia will be available for the Getafe match. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

This is not the first setback Garcia has dealt with during the current campaign.

He suffered a broken nose during Barcelona’s 5-0 victory over Valencia last month following an accidental collision with teammate Rodri. 

Despite the injury, he did not miss a match and continued playing with a protective mask.

Garcia has experience wearing one, having also used a mask for two months last season.

That willingness to continue playing through the problem has added to his reputation for reliability, but Barcelona will not want that commitment to turn into unnecessary risk.

For now, the signs surrounding his latest injury are encouraging. Garcia’s return to Barcelona was precautionary, the issue is not considered serious, and the defender’s objective is to be ready when Flick’s side faces Getafe.