It hasn’t been long since Joan Martinez combatted a long-term ACL injury to return to the pitch. But it appears the defensive prodigy has been dealt yet another blow.
According to MARCA, Martinez has picked up a fresh injury while travelling with the Spanish Under-19 team and has been ruled out of action.
The injury was detected after he came back to Madrid and went through a medical inspection. The injury took place even though the player did not actually play for the Under-19 team.
How long will Martinez be out for?
The report adds that the new injury could see Martinez getting sidelined for about a month, which could be a massive blow for the player.
In fact, it won’t be surprising to see Martinez not come back to action before April, meaning he will have a little more than a month of action remaining until the end of the season.
Joan Martinez, Real Madrid player
Joan Martinez is often regarded as the next Sergio Ramos for Real Madrid. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
This is not good news for Real Madrid, who had been very supportive of the player’s recovery process after he had picked up a long-term injury.
Martinez, after all, is considered one of the academy’s brightest defensive prospects and remains a key player to watch even after coming back from a long injury layoff, making a strong case for first-team minutes.
Even coach Alvaro Arbeloa had called him up for Real Madrid’s Champions League tie against Benfica, though he did not play a minute.
The fresh knock will only hold back Martinez’s progress, and his absence will be felt greatly, particularly in Real Madrid Youth, who have a game against Chelsea awaiting.
Martinez’s services at the back could have gone a long way in helping things out for Real Madrid Youth.