FC Barcelona have managed to conclude the final pre-season game of their tour to the United States of America with a 1-0 victory over Italian giants AC Milan courtesy of a fine effort by Ansu Fati.
Near the end of the game itself, many of Barcelona’s youngsters were given minutes in addition to multiple stars of the club having been assigned their respective opportunities over the course of this pre-season.
However, there were three players that failed to receive any minutes whatsoever across the entirety of the three games played against Arsenal, Real Madrid, and AC Milan.
As highlighted by Spanish outlet SPORT, the three Barcelona players that failed to register any minutes across the tour to the United States were La Masia youngster Pablo Gavi, French defender Clement Lenglet and new arrival, Inigo Martinez.
The reasoning behind the exclusion of each separate player varies as per the report. Gavi, in particular, was a massive name in the Barcelona team sheet that many fans had possibly hoped to see during the duration of the tour.
However, the young 18-year-old has been suffering from discomfort in his back since the team’s arrival to the United States. As a result, the player missed both games against Arsenal and Real Madrid as his progress developed and his discomfort improved.
Against AC Milan, the player came into the game as a substitute who had already completed the training prior to the match with the rest of the squad yet still was not used by Xavi during the match.
As for French defender Clement Lenglet, his initial inclusion was hindered by an injury of his own but the primary cause is reported to be his current situation on a transfer front, as Barcelona continue to look for his departure and wish to avoid any injuries to the player prior to any possible suitor’s interest.
Inigo Martinez, on the other hand, is recovering from a plantar fasciitis that the defender even had to previously get surgery for and continues to improve his physical condition in the meantime.
Two other exclusions from the final game of the pre-season include new arrival Ilkay Gundogan and Danish defender Andreas Christensen, both of whom suffered injuries during the clash between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at the AT&T Stadium.
Gundogan suffers from an injury involving his adductor while Christensen suffers from discomfort in his Achilles tendon. Despite the injuries however, both Barcelona players are expected to be available for the Joan Gamper match scheduled to take place against English Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur on the 8th of August.
