One of the defensive reinforcements that FC Barcelona have brought this summer is the center-back, Inigo Martinez. However, the Spaniard has not been able to make any appearances in the pre-season friendlies that Barcelona have played till now.
This absence is due to an injury in his right foot that he suffered when he was still at Athletic Club. The player has been working with the physiotherapists and physical trainers at Barcelona to treat this plantar fasciitis but is not yet ready for action, and will miss the start of the 2023-24 La Liga campaign.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the player has made important developments in his recovery from this injury this week. They also report that the player himself published a picture of himself participating in the Friday training session with the team. The defender can be seen wearing boots and playing with the ball in this image.
The player appears to be involved in a rondo with his teammates, which is usually the first stage after a player recovers from injury. Thus, he seems to be ready for the intensity that a rondo requires and for disputing the ball from his teammates.
However, the player is still not ready for competitive games, which will be the final step in his recovery from this injury.
Martinez had explained the injury when he joined FC Barcelona and was officially presented:
“Just after the season ended, there was a minor intervention in the area. I noticed a significant improvement after the surgery. I decided to go through with it when I realized that I had been dealing with the issue for a long time.”
Thus, this picture published by Martinez on his social media is a good sign that the player would not take too long to get into competitive action for his new club.
The Catalans have been suffering from fitness-related issues in their defense, with Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araujo also suffering from discomfort, but these two players are also expected to be returning to action soon for Xavi.
