‘Mentally, it destroys you’ — Barcelona gem reveals emotional toll of ACL injury as he nears return | OneFootball

This last season saw FC Barcelona exceed all expectations and win a domestic treble. Considering how almost everyone wrote them off at the start of the campaign, the Catalan giants did well to prove the doubters wrong. Now, heading into next season, Barcelona hope to do it again.

However, with no team underestimating the Catalan giants heading into the new campaign, Barcelona must look to be at their best as well. For that reason, the club has already signed a new goalkeeper and is now working to sign a new left-winger as well.

Barcelona to receive a boost with returning player

Moreover, the club is set to receive a huge boost with the return of Marc Bernal, who was sidelined for almost the entirety of the previous campaign with an ACL injury. Now, however, he is expected to return soon and play a key role in the upcoming campaign for Barcelona as he continues to work on his recovery.

Marc Bernal talks about his recovery

Photo Credit: The Official Website of FC Barcelona

However, as highlighted by SPORT, he spoke with caution when speaking about the chances of him playing during the upcoming Barcelona pre-season, but still remained confident about finding his best level again:

“I’ll be there to train — whether I’ll play, I’m not sure yet… I picture my return to the field with confidence.”

Speaking about his injury and the moment it happened against Rayo Vallecano last season, Bernal stated that he could tell what had happened the moment he got injured:

“When it happened, I already knew. I went in for a challenge on the wing, and someone hit me from behind. I felt the crack and thought, ‘I’ve torn something, I’ll be out for a year’.”

The psychological side of things

As for the psychological aspect of the entire ordeal, the Barcelona midfielder highlighted just how difficult and gruelling the whole experience can be:

“Mentally, it destroys you. You go through months where your mind spirals — it’s crazy what you think about and how much it messes with your head. It’s really tough. You want to do things, but you just can’t.”

Moreover, he pointed out the fact that things get even more difficult when the team is getting to play big games and the player is unable to take part due to such an injury:

“The days and months go by, and when you see them playing a big Champions League game while you’re just stuck watching… It’s really hard.”

He also brought up the game where Barcelona sealed the La Liga title with a win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, and how it was a game that he really wished that he had been a part of:

“That one really hit me — not just because we won La Liga, but because we won it at Espanyol’s stadium.”

Support from family and Barcelona teammates

As for the support he had during his time on the sidelines, the 18-year-old Barcelona gem made sure to mention certain colleagues and friends who helped out as well as his family and the doctors who were taking care of him:

“Your friends and family are the ones who help you the most. Also, my psychologist — I’ve been going to him for years — and my physio. I spend more time with him than with my own family.”

With Bernal’s imminent return, there is bound to be even more competition for minutes within the squad. Thus, it looks likely that exits could happen this summer, and it is already being reported that players like Marc Casado have attracted interest from other clubs.