The mid-season break comes at an opportune time for FC Barcelona, allowing them to regroup and recharge their batteries after a string of dodgy performances and uncharacteristic results.
The two-week Christmas break also paves the way for manager Xavi Hernandez to recover some of his injured players for the second half of the campaign.
One such player who could be ready to make a comeback in 2024 for Barcelona is veteran defender Inigo Martinez.
Martinez in final stretch of recovery
Indeed, as per Javi Miguel of AS, Martinez is in the final stage of his recovery from injury and could be at Xavi’s disposal for Barcelona’s first game of 2024 against Las Palmas.
It should be remembered that Martinez picked up an injury during the warm-up for the match against Atletico Madrid on December 3. It was a muscular injury – right thigh femoral biceps, with reports suggesting that he would be out for at least a month.
And everything indicates that this deadline will be met to the letter, as the idea is that the player will be medically discharged on January 3, so that he can be included in the squad against Las Palmas.
In any case, the priority objective is for the defender to be fully recovered for the Spanish Super Cup a week later, when the semi-final against Osasuna is played.
Martinez an important asset
Prior to his injury, Martinez had developed into an important asset for Xavi and Barcelona, establishing himself as a regular in the starting XI after having recovered from a previous injury.
The veteran Spaniard was leading the defensive line with authority and acting as a dynamic player with his movement and usage of the ball.
As such, his return will be a welcome boost for Barcelona as he not only adds value with his ball-carrying abilities but also with his strength and physicality.
But, Martinez’s return would spell trouble for the likes of Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen, neither of whom has been at their best in recent matches.
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