Following his nasty collision during the game against Club Brugge that resulted in a broken nose, Eric Garcia has had to accessorise himself by wearing a protective mask ever since.
The former Man City star notably ‘debuted’ with the mask in the entertaining win over Celta Vigo just before the November international break.
Now, as Barcelona look to resume their campaign, Garcia is expected to continue wearing the protective mask in the coming matches.
When will Garcia take off the mask?
According to AS, Eric Garcia has yet to fully recover from his broken nose and, as such, he will remain masked for at least the next three matches.
That means the defender is set to continue with the mask against Athletic Club this weekend, which marks Barcelona’s highly anticipated return to Camp Nou.
Garcia will continue to wear the mask in games against Chelsea and Alaves as well, meaning he will remain fully masked for the entirety of November.
Eric Garcia of FC Barcelona
Eric Garcia is still recovering from a broken nose. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
The versatile defender plans to take off the mask on December 2, when Barcelona lock horns with league rivals Atletico Madrid.
It must be noted that Garcia’s involvement in Barcelona’s upcoming matches is virtually secured, especially amid concerns over Jules Kounde’s form.
The French international has appeared quite erratic this season, which has led Hansi Flick to put his faith on Garcia, who has operated in both right-back and centre-back roles this season.
Impressed by Garcia’s performances, Barcelona are also in talks with the former Man City star over a contract renewal that will seal the player’s long-term future in Catalonia.
The coming weeks, therefore, could indeed be critical for Garcia as he looks to add more stability to a Barcelona backline that has conceded goals for fun this season.