Official: Barcelona prodigy named in Spain U-21 squad after recent injury return | OneFootball

Barcelona midfield prodigy Marc Bernal made his comeback after over a year out due to an ACL injury only a couple of weeks ago.

Now, the 18-year-old gem has been called up to the Spain Under-21 national team squad for their upcoming fixtures against Norway (10 October) and Finland (14 October).

It comes as a surprise as well as a bit of a concern, given that the youngster has hardly had any minutes on the pitch since returning from injury against Valencia on 14 September.

After all, Bernal has played only 21 minutes across three matches in all competitions this season.

So, there could be a sense as to his call-up to the U-21 national team might have come a bit prematurely, especially considering how careful Hansi Flick & co. have been with his reintegration after a serious ACL injury.

However, Spain U-21 manager David Gordo downplayed any such concerns in his press conference after the announcement of the squad.

“Marc is a player we know well, having previously played for the Spanish youth teams. He is an important player for us, and we want to see him closely during this period,” said Gordo.

“We want him to get playing minutes, as this will serve him well and will also help us make the national team more competitive. His presence here is good for him and for us at the same time. We are very happy to have him called up.”

On whether Bernal is seen as a future leader of the midfield in the Spanish national team setup, the U-21 boss remarked:

“As I said, Marc is a very important player for us, and I’m sure he’ll continue in that role if he continues to work with the same spirit and commitment.

“He’ll have a long career in football – if he maintains his level, he’ll get a lot of minutes with the Spanish national team in the future.

“We’re very happy to have him here, and this is an important time for him to take new steps forward, and we, in turn, will support him and accompany him.”