There is definitely a level of skepticism within Barcelona at the moment. However, the club hopes to start 2024 in a better way. The 2023/24 season thus far has been full of ups and downs, but there is still half the campaign left. As a result, Xavi’s Barcelona still has time to recover.
One of the major changes for 2024 is expected to be new arrivals and returning players. While stars like Marc Andre Ter Stegen, Gavi, and Marcos Alonso are still some time away from making their returns, another key player may soon be available again for Xavi Hernandez.
According to AS, Spanish defender Inigo Martinez is not too far away from being given the medical green light. The Spaniard originally suffered a muscular injury prior to the game against Atletico Madrid at the beginning of December. However, the player has since been recovering, albeit with very few updates regarding his progression.
Originally expected to take part as a starter against Atletico, his untimely injury saw Andreas Christensen come in. Since then, the Danish defender has been utilized much more by Xavi given the inconsistent performances of Jules Kounde as a central defender.
AS originally reported that the Spaniard would be out for a month, and that timeline seems to be intact. While the priority, as per the report, remains to see Martinez recovered fully by the time of the Spanish Super Cup, he may return just slightly early. As it stands, there is a chance that he could be in the squad list for the game against UD Las Palmas.
For context, the game against Las Palmas will be the very first game for Barcelona in 2024. Martinez returning could spell great things for La Blaugrana, as his physical influence and line-breaking passes were truly crucial for Barça. However, his return will also most likely be a step backwards for Christensen.
It will definitely be interesting to see how Xavi decides to line up his team following the Spaniard’s return. In the scenario that he chooses to field three central defenders, Kounde will likely return to the right-back position. That would leave Ronald Araujo and Martinez as the central defenders, and possibly Joao Cancelo as the left-back.
