In the coming weeks, it is expected that Marc Bernal will continue to gain prominence in the Barcelona first team. The 18-year-old midfielder is still being eased back after over a year out with injury, but he has now been involved in the fold for over a month, meaning that starts will not be too far off.
Bernal is comfortable with his situation, as he has revealed to Diari ARA during an interview (via Sport). He is keen to continue improving, which will happen with more time spent on the training pitch.
“With the current model I feel very comfortable. Playing alone or with a double pivot. It’s true that against PSG I played a few minutes as an attacking midfielder, but I think it was because of the circumstances. I adapt well to different situations. I think I have a lot of room for improvement. At the moment, what I want is to get back in good shape and get into a rhythm little by little.”
It won’t be easy for Bernal to earn starts in the coming months, as he is up against Pedri and Frenkie de Jong. However, he sees this as a blessing – especially with the latter, whom is a big fan of.
“Everything that is said about him is pure lies. I see him train, I see him play and he’s amazing. Not only do I think about it, we have talked about it with some teammates. In the first days when we were promoted to the first team, he was the one who surprised us the most because of the technique he has. The speed he plays at also surprised me a lot. And most importantly, he did not lose a single ball.”
Bernal also revealed that he has tried to mould his game by watching de Jong, who signed a new Barcelona contract earlier this week. However, he has also taken inspiration from other players, both within and outwith the Catalan club.
“From the squad, I look at Frenkie, Pedri or Olmo. They have a lot of quality and I try to apply what they do, even if it’s a little. From the outside, I look at those in my position, like Rodri or Zubimendi, for example, who are in the national team.”
