According to reports, Hansi Flick received very bad news on April 12. One of his key players, who was in excellent form and a mainstay in the team both in attack and defense, was injured. Alejandro Balde felt a muscle strain during the match against Leganés at the Butarque Stadium. He grabbed the back of his thigh, indicating a hamstring issue. At least a month out. Therefore, the German coach had to prepare himself for a crucial phase of the season without one of his irreplaceable players.

From that moment on, all eyes turned to Gerard Martin. The Barcelona full-back, who had been called upon to replace Balde, had performed well; but this time, he faced a much bigger challenge: the Champions League semi-final against Inter and the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid.

Despite criticism, he performed well in these matches, neutralized Rodrygo, and shone in Milan. Now, four weeks after Balde’s injury, Gerard has exceeded expectations. Against the eternal rival in the Copa del Rey, he completely neutralized Rodrygo. Against Inter, especially in the second leg, he performed beyond expectations. At the San Siro, where only a few players can perform, he had moments that seemed to recreate Jordi Alba’s peak years. He provided two assists and could have even given a third.

In fact, Gerard’s performance has led Hansi Flick to not intend to start Alejandro Balde in this Sunday’s La Liga El Clásico. Balde has now recovered and is participating in group training and internal matches but will start from the bench. Depending on the match’s progress, he may get some minutes; but his return to the starting lineup will likely be postponed until the derby against Espanyol. Flick pays no attention to the criticism from fans and media regarding Martin’s defensive performance, and this player will be in the starting lineup for El Clásico.