Marc Casado, Barcelona’s talented young midfielder, has endured a bit of a nightmare, having been out of action since mid-September with a serious knee injury sustained from a bad challenge by Antoine Griezmann when the teams met at the Metropolitano.
Marc Casado reveals how Hansi Flick’s guidance transformed his career, lifting him from Barcelona’s reserves to the first team.
The 21-year-old La Masia graduate spoke with AS recently about how difficult it has been to deal with the physical and mental consequences of the injury and the knock-on effect of being out for so long away from playing football.
“I had hardly ever been injured before, and all of a sudden I was out for what felt like a lifetime,” Casado told AS, admitting that at one point he was “devastated” with the thought of just being out of action, with thoughts of his knee dominating.
“I became obsessed,” he admitted, suggesting that there were various mental effects of being out.
Now, however, Marc Casado is nearing a return to action, having recently started training with Barcelona’s first team again.
His return could potentially be in the Clasico fixtures against Real Madrid, which may be a bit too soon, or in the final three fixtures of La Liga, which will depend on how he progresses.
His maturity is shown by the fact that he is still taking a cautious approach to treatment, saying, “The first thing is my knee,” and did not want to jeopardize that by continuing to train.
In an emotional moment, Casado praised Hansi Flick for a career season, saying, “He has changed my life, he has taken me from the reserve team to the first team.”
Flick’s support has been invaluable in the success of Casado turning into a positive midfield option for Barcelona.
Now that Barcelona is enduring a challenging season with limited midfield options, Casado’s return could be crucial.
His hard work and technical ability will make him a great option for the club, and supporters are excited to see him fully recovered and back on the field.
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