Barcelona won’t take any risks with injured midfielder following fresh injury blow | OneFootball

Marc Bernal was one of the two casualties for Barcelona in their recent 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid.

The young midfielder, who replaced Ronald Araujo deep into the first half, picked up a knock and had to be subbed off around the hour mark.

Barcelona later confirmed the player has picked up an injury, which will reportedly rule him out of the upcoming game against Atletico Madrid.

Bernal sets his return timeline

A fresh report from Mundo Deportivo has now offered more light on the injury of Marc Bernal, providing insights into the timeline the player has set for himself.

It appears the youngster has set a goal to return to action before Barcelona’s second leg Champions League quarterfinal clash against Atletico Madrid.

That means the player has ruled himself out of the upcoming matches against Atleti (first leg) and Espanyol.

Bernal wants to play the second leg tie against Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Barcelona, though, are unlikely to take any risks with the young midfielder, knowing that he has just recovered from a long-term injury.

The Catalans will only field Bernal if they get the green light from the medical team that the player is fully fit.

This also comes at a time when Frenkie de Jong is closing in on a return to the pitch, with the Dutchman potentially being available for the league clash against Espanyol this coming weekend.

De Jong’s potential return should give Barcelona some valuable room to manoeuvre, as far as Bernal’s fitness is concerned.

The Catalans have adopted a similar approach with Gavi, allowing the youngster to ease his way into the thick of things before being considered a viable first-team option for coach Hansi Flick.