Barcelona midfield talent set to return vs Valencia after more than a year out | OneFootball

According to Mundo Deportivo, Marc Bernal is all set to make his comeback for Barcelona this weekend against Valencia after being out of action for more than a year.

The 18-year-old La Masia gem suffered a brutal ACL injury just three games into his debut season with the first team and has spent the last year out, working hard on his recovery.

Return imminent

Barring any setback, Barcelona’s plan is to call Bernal up for the match against Valencia on Saturday for the game at Estadi Johan Cruyff.

Fittingly, the same fixture marked his debut in La Liga at the start of the 2024/25 season. Whether he actually gets minutes will be up to manager Hansi Flick.

His road to recovery has been filled with sacrifice and relentless work. The teenage prodigy was the first to start pre-season training in the summer and has undergone an incredible physical transformation as well.

Eager to return

Set to return. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Bernal has been working with the rest of the squad for a while now and is finally set to receive his final medical green light to make his comeback.

The young pivot has made no secret of his eagerness to feel like a footballer again. By his own sensations, he would have been back a month ago.

Bernal was convinced he could feature in the Joan Gamper Trophy against Como and even requested it, but Flick had to hold him back, reminding him that an ACL tear requires extreme caution.

“I want you for 15 years, not just for one game,” was the German’s message to the La Masia graduate.

Now, it appears like that everyone is on board for Bernal to finally make his comeback to the squad list.