Three FC Barcelona players were selected to represent Catalonia in their match against Costa Rica later today. The players who made it to the team included Eric Garcia, Pau Victor and Gerard Martin but there has been a withdrawal.
As per Mundo Deportivo, defender Gerard Martin has withdrawn from the Catalonia squad at the last minute as he has been picked by Santi Denia to represent Spain U-21 in the upcoming European Championship.
The Catalan Football Federation has confirmed that Martin had to pull out due to incompatibility with the U-21 Spain squad but thanked him for showing the inclination to represent Catalonia in the game against Costa Rica.
Joan Garcia in action
BARCELONA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 01: Joan Garcia of RCD Espanyol celebrates victory following the LaLiga match between RCD Espanyol de Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at RCDE Stadium on February 01, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.
Joan Garcia will play for Catalonia. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Interestingly, one other player who will be in action in this game and will be of interest to Barcelona is Joan Garcia. The Espanyol shot-stopper is on the club’s radar as a potential reinforcement this summer and all eyes will be on him.
Not many people knew about Gerard Martin before this season but after watching him in pre-season, Hansi Flick chose to make him the designated deputy to Alejandro Balde at left-back. Through the course of the campaign, he has improved.
The Spaniard initially looked like a fish out of water, struggling to fit into a well-drilled Barcelona setup but he has grown comfortable in his position. Despite his limitations, the Spaniard is decent enough to be a backup.
Gerard Martin is consistently improving
BARCELONA, SPAIN - MARCH 02: Gerard Martin of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the La Liga EA match between FC Barcelona and Real Sociedad at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on March 02, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.
Gerard Martin celebrates after scoring a goal for Barcelona. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Against Inter Milan in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, Martin helped turn the game on its head with two assists in quick succession to help Barcelona level the game 2-2 after trailing 2-0 in the first half.
Now set to represent Spain’s U-21 team at the European Championship, Gerard Martin will have another opportunity to prove his growing value. His rise within Barcelona has been steady and promising, capped by clutch performances on Europe’s biggest stage. As he continues to develop, all eyes will be on how Hansi Flick integrates the young left-back into the club’s plans for next season.