Barcelona left-back Gerard Martin went off at half-time with an ankle problem in Saturday’s 5-2 La Liga win at Real Betis, and the club are waiting on medical tests to learn how serious it is. His replacement Eric Garcia also limped out late on, and Jules Kounde finished the game with discomfort, so three defenders are doubts for Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain.
The Gerard Martin injury Barcelona now have to manage lands in the busiest week of their autumn. PSG come first at the Parc des Princes, then Real Madrid arrive at Camp Nou five days later for the first Clasico of the season.
What happened against Betis
Martin took a knock in the first half and played on until the break, according to Barca Blaugranes. He did not come out for the second half. Rotowire described the problem as an apparent ankle injury, while beIN Sports reported a blow to his left ankle and called the substitution a precaution.
Garcia replaced him and scored Barcelona’s fourth goal in the 63rd minute, finishing a move in the area after a Lamine Yamal free kick. Spanish outlet Mundiario noted it was his first goal of the season. Near the end he began clutching his right thigh, sat down on the pitch and asked to come off.
Barcelona had already used all their substitutions, so they finished the match with ten men. Kounde also reported discomfort during the game, though beIN said his problem did not initially look serious.
Gerard Martin injury: what is known so far
Not much is confirmed. The club have not published a diagnosis, and the reports differ on whether it is a straightforward knock or something that needs rest. Cadena SER, as relayed by beIN Sports, said the first indications pointed to a knock, with medical tests scheduled for Sunday.
Hansi Flick would not guess after the game. Rotowire, citing Barca Universal, quoted him saying “We have to wait on the results for [Gerard] Martin. We can’t tell yet.” Until those tests are back, Martin has to be treated as questionable for Paris.
It is not his first scare of the campaign. Martin started the 4-2 win over Levante on 13 September but left at half-time with a blow to the nose. He trained normally within days and was cleared for the midweek game against Racing Santander. Last season he also left an Espanyol game at half-time in April and was later declared available for the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Atletico Madrid, according to Rotowire.
Eric Garcia and Kounde add to the worry
The bigger concern, according to beIN Sports, is Garcia. Spanish reports say the issue is in the right quadriceps. Barca Blaugranes said it looked like a muscle injury, and his place in both the PSG game and the Clasico depends on the scan results.
That matters because Garcia was the man Flick turned to when Martin went down. If he is out as well, the head coach loses the cover he used at the break on Saturday. Barcelona have not said who would fill the gap, and Flick has not named a plan.
Kounde’s problem is described as minor. beIN reported that his situation does not initially appear as serious, but the coaching staff are unwilling to take unnecessary risks. A full back line for Paris is far from certain, though, and Flick will not know his options until the checks are done.
Flick’s message after the game
Flick spoke about all three players in his post-match press conference. Barca Blaugranes carried his comments on each of them: he said he did not know what would happen with Garcia and that Kounde and Martin both had minor issues.
He added a line about the timetable. “We have two more days and we’ll see what happens on Tuesday,” he said, as quoted by that site. In other words, the decision may go down to the last training session before the squad flies.
The club’s medical staff have until then to decide who is fit to travel and who is fit to play. A player can make the squad and still start on the bench, so Tuesday’s team sheet, which PSG say will be published an hour before kick-off, will give the first firm answer.
PSG on Tuesday, then the Clasico
The fixtures leave very little room for a slow recovery. The key dates, as listed on the Barcelona club site and PSG’s official pages:
- Tuesday 20 October: Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona, Champions League league phase, matchday 3, Parc des Princes, 21:00 CEST.
- Sunday 25 October: Barcelona v Real Madrid, La Liga matchday 10, Spotify Camp Nou, 21:00 Spanish time.
Barcelona’s club page lists 13 previous matches against PSG: five wins, three draws and five defeats. Real Madrid, who host RB Leipzig in the Champions League on 21 October, will arrive at Camp Nou under Jose Mourinho. According to OneFootball, it will be the first meeting between Mourinho and Flick.
A back line that is short on bodies for Paris could carry over to the Clasico. A thigh problem of the kind Garcia may have often needs more than a few days, so the result of Sunday’s tests will say a lot about both games. If it is only a bruise, as early estimates suggested, the picture looks far better.
What it means for Flick’s defence
Martin has been a regular in Flick’s defence this season, and Garcia is the player who filled in for him on Saturday. Losing both would leave the manager reshuffling a back four against a PSG attack at the Parc des Princes. The same reshuffle could then be needed against Madrid a few days later.
Barcelona did score five at La Cartuja, and Betis still managed two. The defensive side of that performance will matter more in Paris, where Flick’s team will probably have to defend for longer spells than they did on Saturday.
Nothing is lost yet. Reports on Martin and Kounde so far suggest knocks rather than long layoffs, and the medical verdicts could be much kinder than the scenes at La Cartuja suggested. Until the club confirm it, though, these remain reports and not a diagnosis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gerard Martin injured?
Martin went off at half-time against Betis after a knock to his left ankle, and Barcelona are waiting on test results. Flick said they cannot tell yet how serious it is.
Will Gerard Martin play against PSG?
It is not known. He is questionable for the Champions League game at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday 20 October until the tests are back.
When is the Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid?
Barcelona host Real Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday 25 October, with kick-off at 21:00 Spanish time. It is La Liga matchday 10.
Watch for the club’s medical update after Sunday’s tests and for the squad list for Paris, which should show whether Martin, Garcia and Kounde have travelled. The line-ups come out an hour before the 21:00 kick-off on Tuesday, and Flick’s team selection will show how worried he really is about the Clasico.
Sources:Barca Blaugranes, beIN Sports, Rotowire, FC Barcelona
