Since the start of this season, the Spanish defender Inigo Martinez has taken a giant leap with FC Barcelona. The new coach, Hansi Flick, is getting the best out of the former Athletic Club defender who had a rather secondary role during his first season at the Blaugrana club.
The experienced center-back arrived at Barcelona for free in the summer transfer window of 2023, as his contract with Athletic Club ended. However, injuries and physical problems kept him from playing for the Catalans for a significant time after his arrival.
But with his performances, he is now justifying the trust that the Blaugranes put in him last year. The former Sporting Director of Barcelona, Jordi Cruyff, was the main architect of his move and deserves full credit for making this signing that is proving to be quite important for Barcelona this season.
As Mundo Deportivo has reported, Cruyff made some comments on Inigo Martinez after the UEFA Champions League game between Barcelona and Young Boys. The former Blaugrana official highlighted that Martinez: “Had a complicated summer, with a lot of rumors swirling around.”
The son of the legendary Barcelona player and coach, Johan Cruyff, went on to praise Martinez for his hard work in training and his leadership abilities that are proving to be integral for the team’s backline:
“He is a player that the fans and the media only see during the 90 minutes, but then there’s the work from Monday to Saturday, where there’s a lot of effort in the locker room, especially in one with many young players.”
“People don’t realize it, but when someone falls, sometimes someone has to pick them up, and he is the kind of player who provides leadership in the locker room. Whether he starts or not, he’s always there, working harder than everyone, and, most importantly, helping the team. It’s invisible work for those who have never been in a locker room.”
There is no doubt that a lot of work needs to be done behind the curtains to put in the performances that Martinez has been giving week in and week out. It is only right that fans and commentators are now giving the Spanish defender the credit that he deserves after the difficult summer he had recently.