"The German tactician had tried the 23-year-old left-back in the role back in pre-season when Inigo Martinez was dealing with discomfort before leaving the club for Al Nassr. Martin, to his credit, has taken to the role well and done enough to impress the Blaugrana coaching staff. Martin to start at centre-back again? So much so that SPORT reports that Flick is considering repeating the tactic once again tomorrow when Barcelona host Atletico Madrid at the Spotify Camp Nou."
"Against Alaves, Martin made five tackles and won four, added one interception, completed five clearances and recovered two balls. He won seven of eight ground duels and three of his five aerial duels. On the ball, he had an even greater impact. He completed 103 of 111 passes with 93 percent accuracy and was the defender most involved in play with 128 touches."
Gerard Martin has been deployed as a centre-back for Barcelona in the last two La Liga matches after a pre-season experiment. Martin has adapted well to the left-footed central role, impressing the coaching staff and earning a place in selection discussions. Flick is considering starting Martin alongside Pau Cubarsi against Atletico Madrid following his standout performance versus Alaves. Against Alaves Martin produced strong defensive and passing statistics, completing 103 of 111 passes with 93% accuracy and recording multiple tackles, interceptions and clearances. The profile matches the requirement for a left-footed centre back who can build from the back and relieve pressure.
Read at Barca Universal
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