A key Barcelona midfielder faces serious uncertainty regarding his Camp Nou future, with his contract situation unresolved.
The youngster has battled back from a lengthy spell on the sidelines and forced his way into Hansi Flick’s thoughts, earning trust with maturity beyond his years in training and in limited minutes on the pitch.
Yet the reality of Barça’s packed engine room, the pressure of the run-in, and the demands of competing on multiple fronts mean the coaching staff and sporting department must now carefully decide how best to manage his development.
With the Copa del Rey clash against Racing seen as an important audition, the coming days could shape the trajectory of one of La Masia’s most promising products.
That prospect is 18-year-old Marc Bernal, whose future will be discussed in detail after the Copa tie as Barcelona consider whether to sanction a loan move, as reported by Diario Sport.
The pivot role is currently locked down by Frenkie de Jong, while Eric Garcia has also impressed when deployed in a similar position, leaving Bernal short of regular minutes at the top level.
Several Spanish and European clubs have already come forward with proposals, offering the guarantee of a bigger role and attractive sporting projects, with Girona emerging as one of the keenest admirers.
Inside the club, however, the message is clear: any departure would only be temporary and without a purchase option, underlining Barça’s belief that Bernal belongs in their long-term plans.
The idea is to protect his progression with consistent game time, then bring him back next season better prepared to compete for a place in Flick’s squad.
Both parties are expected to reach a consensus, with Flick holding the final word but fully aligned with the intention of seeing Bernal return to Barcelona as a more complete, battle-tested pivot ready to fight for a permanent role.
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