Final stretch for Marc Bernal's return to action with Barça

August 27, 2024 was a sad day for FC Barcelona. Despite adding the three points in Vallecas (1-2), the club returned to Catalonia with a bitter taste due to the serious injury suffered by Marc Bernal.

In just his third game with the first team, the youth player destroyed his left knee, but a year later the Berga native is almost ready to return. The official medical report reported a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the left knee and an associated injury to the external meniscus, requiring a recovery of 12 months.

Now, as fate would have it, just four days before a new visit of Barça to Rayo, the midfielder has received medical discharge, getting closer and closer to his return to the pitch. The coaching staff, however, will continue to take his process of competitive readaptation very carefully.

Marc Bernal is ready to reappear with the Barça shirt

The 18-year-old youth player has been the one who has given the news through his Instagram account placing an emoji of an hourglass and the arrow with the word “back”. That is, the player feels ready to return.

According to 'Què t'hi jugues!' from the 'SER' Catalunya network, Bernal could return to Hansi Flick's squad after the September international break, by FIFA date, ahead of the fourth matchday of LaLiga against Valencia. The match will be played on September 13 or 14 in Catalonia, with the venue to be confirmed.

When will Marc Bernal return? Hansi Flick is clear about his plan

Marc Bernal has already been medically discharged for several days, but the club has preferred to strictly wait for the initially planned deadlines. Until the coaching staff sees him in a condition to play, there will be no official announcement about his return.

In that sense, it is very likely that the Berga native will not be in the squad for matchday 3 of LaLiga, since beyond the medical diagnosis, the player still needs to add playing time, probably with the reserve team.

Bernal did the entire preseason at the Ciutat Esportiva, but did not play a minute in the friendlies of the Asian tour or the Gamper. Flick has been clear from the beginning and prefers not to force the return of players after an injury, prioritizing the recovery process.

In addition, Barça's midfield is well covered by the regular starters Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, also counting on Marc Casadó, Gavi and even Fermín and Dani Olmo (who play a little further forward) when required.

The number ‘28’ has played 3 games with the first team, in which he has played 244 minutes and hopes to add many more after his return. Will Valencia be Marc's first opponent after his return to the pitch?