FC Barcelona seems to have suffered yet another injury blow, this time to one of their up-and-coming young players, as he will need to undergo surgery after a mishap on international duty.
According to Jijantes, who reported on the pick-up on June 11, 2025, the injury occurred during Spain’s U-21 European Championship match against Slovakia, and now the club faces yet another dilemma during this long and arduous season.
A number of players from FC Barcelona are already on the sidelines due to injury, and this situation limits Hansi Flick’s plans for Barcelona as they are actively playing not only in La Liga but also in the Champions League.
The player in question is Gerard Martin, a 23-year-old left-back. Martin suffered a fracture to his right hand during the Spain U-21’s 3-2 victory.
After playing in a total of 42 matches in the 2024/25 season, Martin was taken off at halftime of the match against Slovakia, and once evaluated by medical staff, it was determined that he would require surgery.
While the procedure will take place in Barcelona, it is almost certain that the complication will end Martin’s tournament participation, and the recovery could take a number of weeks, although, as of writing, there is no set return date.
After a breakout season, filling in for Alejandro Balde, and receiving accolades along the way, this unfortunate injury halts the progress he had been making.
There is controversy surrounding Barcelona’s depth at left-back, with Balde and young player Jofre Torrents as their other options.
This is particularly bad timing, as there are Premier League teams, such as Wolverhampton Wanderers, interested in weighing up a transfer for Martin as a replacement for the already-mentioned Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Barcelona intends to hold out for a bid of around €12 million, though this will depend on how well Martin recovers from the injury.
The injury demonstrates the risks associated with young players being away on international duty with their country, and reminds them that their objectives and ambitions have to be weighed against Martin’s health and well-being.
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