Homegrown star to face biggest test of Barcelona career following injury to first choice defender | OneFootball

Alejandro Balde’s injury during the recent clash against Leganes could not have come at a more critical moment for Barcelona.

With key fixtures on the horizon, including the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund and the Copa del Rey final versus Real Madrid, Hansi Flick will not turn to Gerard Martin to step up in Balde’s absence.

This situation places Martin under the spotlight like never before. The 23-year-old has already featured in 31 matches this season, starting 10 of them, which shows the growing trust placed in him by Hansi Flick.

His contributions have not gone unnoticed—scoring once and providing three assists.

Now, with Balde expected to be sidelined for at least three weeks, the La Masia left-back is entering a decisive period where he could establish himself as a vital player for the club.

Three competitions, one big opportunity

The coming weeks will demand maximum effort from Martin, as Barcelona continue to fight on three fronts.

He is expected to start in Dortmund’s famously intense Signal Iduna Park—one of Europe’s most challenging venues—after having been left on the bench during the group stages.

Gerard Martin’s time has come. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Following that, he is also likely to feature in crucial La Liga matches at Montjuïc against Celta Vigo and Mallorca, both important for maintaining momentum in the title race.

The biggest opportunity, however, could come in the Copa del Rey final against arch-rivals Real Madrid. Even if Balde recovers in time, his return would be cutting it close.

Given the risk involved in rushing a player back from injury, Flick may prefer to stick with Martin if he performs reliably in the matches leading up to the final.

Trust plays a big role in such moments, and Flick appears to be fully backing Martin to handle the responsibility.

While other options like deploying Inigo Martinez or Hector Fort at left-back, are theoretically possible, they seem unlikely at this point.

Martin now holds the position, the manager’s confidence, and the chance to make this spell a turning point in his career.

With Barcelona needing consistency and determination, Martin’s performance over the next few weeks could define both his future and that of the club’s season.