A member of the defensive ranks at La Liga giants Barcelona this evening conjured up a fine performance when it mattered most.
The player in question? Gerard Martín.
Left-back Martín was for his part in from the off once more on Tuesday evening.
Despite widespread reports pointing towards the 22-year-old as being in line to drop to the bench after a hugely disappointing showing against Celta Vigo at the weekend, Martín was trusted from the off, as Barcelona welcomed Stade Brestois to Catalunya’s capital for a Champions League clash.
And, to his credit, over the course of the 90 minutes, the Spaniard went on to fully justify his inclusion.
In the ongoing absence of first-choice left-back Alejandro Balde, Martín stepped up with arguably his best performance of the season to date.
Solid in his defending, and neat and tidy in possession, the stopper showcased precisely why boss Flick has persisted with his inclusion, despite the complaints of many a Barcelona supporter.
Martín even managed to cap his display with an assist, laying on Dani Olmo for Barca’s 2nd of the evening courtesy of a pinpoint cut-back from the left.
Check out the statistics behind his performance, courtesy of Barca Buzz, below:
📊| Gerard Martín vs Brest in 78 Minutes.
– 1 Assist.
– 95 Touches.
– 64/73 Passes.
– 1 Cross.
– 6 Passes Into Final Third.
– 0 Times Dispossessed.
– 3 Chances Created, 1 Big.
– 2 Clearances.
– 1 Headed Clearance.
– 3 Interceptions.
– 7 Ball Recoveries.
– 3/7 Duels Won.
– 2… pic.twitter.com/D4LCNn4LdR
— Barça Buzz (@Barca_Buzz) November 26, 2024
Conor Laird – GSFN