Barcelona have lost Marcos Alonso for three months to a similar back problem as Marc-Andre ter Stegen was suffering from, but they may be on the verge of getting a key defender back from the treatment room. Inigo Martinez has been missing for the last month, but could be back for their first game back in 2024, as they head to the Canary Islands to face Las Palmas and their only miserly defence.
Goalkeepers Ander Astralaga and Diego Kochen, Pau Prim, Albert Navarro, Pau Cubarsi and Hector Fort filled out Barcelona’s training on Tuesday, with Kochen the sixth to jump up from either Barca Atletic or the under-19s, as per MD. Martinez completed part of the session with the group following a thigh muscle problem, and is in contention to return to the squad, which will be named tomorrow.
🚨 Iñigo Martínez did part of the training session with the group. He could be available for the game vs. Las Palmas. @JoanPoquiEraso
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 2, 2024
Alonso has also undergone surgery in Bordeaux, with the same surgeon as ter Stegen, and is set to be back at some point in March.
Martinez arrived with little fanfare this summer on a free from Athletic Club compared to the likes of Joao Felix, Joao Cancelo and Ilkay Gundogan, but when fit, as arguably outperformed all three. Almost immediately winning a starting role, he was keeping Andreas Christensen out of the side, and Xavi Hernandez opted for a back three on several occasions, in part to include Martinez and his passing range.
