Marc Bernal finding his feet in Copa del Rey as Flick carefully manages his return
The young Barcelona midfielder is enjoying a special relationship with the cup competition this season, featuring in all three matches after last year's injury nightmare.
Barcelona’s young midfielder is making the most of his Copa del Rey opportunities while Hansi Flick carefully manages his return from a serious knee injury.
Cup specialist emerging
Marc Bernal might not be getting regular minutes in La Liga, but he’s found a happy hunting ground in Spain’s knockout competition. The Catalan youngster has been a starter in all three of Barcelona’s Copa del Rey fixtures this season, playing 63.3% of the available minutes in the tournament.
It’s a proper contrast to his league involvement, where he’s featured in just 9% of possible playing time, mostly as a late substitute when the game’s already sorted.
His Copa appearances show a deliberate progression in his recovery:
- 45 minutes against Guadalajara
- 59 minutes against Racing Santander
- 66 minutes against Albacete (his longest appearance this season)
This gradual increase in playing time suggests Flick is using the cup competition as the perfect rehabilitation platform for the midfielder after last season’s knee surgery that left him watching from the sidelines.
Confidence boost against Mallorca
Bernal heads into the Atlético Madrid cup clash at the Metropolitano with his tail up after a brilliant cameo against Mallorca in La Liga. Coming off the bench for 23 minutes, he bagged his first top-flight goal – a moment that sparked wild celebrations from both teammates and Flick himself on the touchline.
That Adam and Eve from the gaffer shows how highly rated the youngster is within the club, with many seeing him as a potential long-term solution in Barcelona’s midfield.
Atlético test awaits
Interestingly, Bernal has never faced Atlético Madrid before. He missed last season’s encounters due to his injury troubles, while he remained an unused substitute during Barcelona’s La Liga meeting with the Rojiblancos back on December 2nd.
The cup quarter-final represents another opportunity for Bernal to build match fitness in a high-stakes environment – exactly the kind of test Flick seems to believe will benefit his development while carefully managing his return to full action.