Gerard Martín making an impact
Gerard Martín is enjoying his best spell yet as an FC Barcelona player. The defender has established himself in Hansi Flick’s plans and has been a reliable option in the absence of players such as Alejandro Balde and Eric Garcia. Wearing the number 18 shirt, he has delivered excellent performances and has now emerged as a dependable member of the squad, both at full-back and, especially in recent weeks, at centre-back.
The Blaugrana player is on a run of six consecutive matches playing the full 90 minutes—an unprecedented milestone in his first-team career to date. This run includes games against Atlético de Madrid, Athletic Club, Newcastle United (in both legs of the Champions League round of 16), Sevilla and Rayo Vallecano, with five wins and just one draw, which came at St James’ Park against the English side. During this period, Gerard Martín has also contributed going forward, providing an assist in the big win over Newcastle at Spotify Camp Nou.
28 starts
Across the season as a whole, the defender has now made 41 official appearances in all competitions: 24 in La Liga, 10 in the Champions League, 5 in the Copa del Rey and 2 in the Spanish Super Cup. Of these, he has started 28 matches, underlining the growing trust the coaching staff place in him.
A top-level run of form that confirms the emergence of a player who continues to develop and who has earned, on merit, a prominent place in FC Barcelona’s first team.