Injury blow for Barcelona as Inigo Martinez faces extended absence

By SABC Sport
8th January 2024

Barcelona have been dealt a setback as Inigo Martinez sustained an injury during a match in Barbastro, signalling a potential four to five-week absence.

The Basque centre-back, making a comeback in the Copa del Rey clash, suffered a fresh muscular setback, ruling him out of the imminent Supercopa de Espana in Saudi Arabia.

Barcelona won Sundays clash against Barbastro 3-2 thanks to goals from Fermin Lopez, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski.

Martinez had previously picked up an injury on December 3, just before facing Atletico Madrid. The former Athletic Bilbao player experienced a hamstring "twinge," side-lining him for a month.

Returning from his injury, the defender lasted only 11 minutes on the pitch before succumbing to another setback. Coming on in the 64th minute, he had to withdraw in the 75th minute after injuring the hamstring of his left leg - a new injury, not a recurrence of the previous one.

According to SPORT, pending further details from Monday's medical examinations, initial assessments point towards a four to five-week absence. This implies that Martinez will miss the Supercopa de Espana, Round of 16, potential Copa del Rey quarter-finals, and clashes against Betis, Villarreal, Osasuna, and Alaves in La Liga.

If his recovery progresses optimally, a return could be expected on either February 11 against Granada or a week later against Celta. Regardless, it appears that Martinez will be fit for the crucial Champions League clash against Napoli on February 21.

Despite being a seasoned 32-year-old defender who delivered an impressive performance in November, Martinez continues to grapple with a series of injuries. Last season, he missed 22 matches due to injury, and in the current campaign, he has already accumulated eight absences, with the count set to rise to at least 15.