‘He is doing very well’ — Pau Cubarsi has huge words of praise for his Barcelona center-back partner whose prominence is on the rise | OneFootball

Pau Cubarsi has offered some serious praise for Gerard Martin, and from a FC Barcelona point of view it feels like an important reflection of how the back line has quietly evolved in recent weeks. With injuries and rotations forcing changes, Gerard has stepped up, and Cubarsi’s words suggest the partnership is becoming more than just a temporary fix.

As quoted by Mundo Deportivo, Cubarsi spoke from Spain’s training camp at Las Rozas and highlighted the growing chemistry he has developed with Gerard Martin after six starts together in central defence for Barcelona. He said:

That first line is playful, but it also says plenty. Cubarsi clearly sees Gerard as a football obsessive, someone serious about the game and serious about improving, and those types of players usually earn respect quickly inside a dressing room.

More importantly, Cubarsi did not stop at jokes. He went into detail about what Gerard is actually giving Barcelona in a role that has grown in importance.

“What I would highlight about him as a centre-back, above all, is his aerial duels, he is the player with the most aerial duels won in La Liga. He is powerful in that aspect and he finds the pass inside, the free man.”

Cubarsi also underlined the tactical value of Gerard being left-footed, saying:

Cubarsi himself has played some of the best football of his career in recent weeks and has looked at home with Gerard at the back. Like he says, the left-footedness adds a unique dimension to Barcelona’s build-up play.

For how well it has worked, this might end up becoming Flick’s first-choice central defensive partnership for the rest of the season. Let’s wait and see how the Spanish duo fare between now and the end of the season.