Gerard Martin was one of the notable changes in the starting lineup. In the lead-up to the match, Hansi Flick explained that the decision to leave Alejandro Balde on the bench was a precautionary measure, as he had been feeling a bit overworked.
This opened the door for Martin to make his return to the starting XI. However, his first few moments in the match were far from smooth.
Just minutes into the game, he picked up a yellow card for a strong tackle, and soon after, he was involved in another controversial challenge. A late tackle on Iago Aspas from behind raised concerns, as it seemed deserving of a red card.
The referee, Soto Grado, chose not to punish the defender, much to the frustration of Aspas and the home crowd, who were vocally upset at the decision.
Celta targetted Gerard Martin
The early yellow card for Martin, just two minutes into the game, put him in a difficult position. Celta Vigo quickly targeted his side of the pitch, increasing the pressure on him.
With the card already in his possession, the defender had to tread carefully for the rest of the match. Then, just before half-time, he made another controversial tackle on Aspas.
It appeared that this foul could have led to a red card, but the referee again chose not to punish him further. Aspas was visibly angry, and the crowd’s reactions only added to the tension in the stadium.
Flick had to change him
As the second half approached, the question remained whether Flick would make a change, as Gerard had already played a lot of minutes under a lot of pressure.
This season, Martin has been the backup left-back, and despite limited playtime of just over 200 minutes, he has shown promise.
His most recent start came in the Champions League against Crvena Zvezda, where he put in a solid performance as Barcelona secured a comfortable victory.
Despite the tense moments in the match, Gerard remains an important part of the squad, with hopes that he can continue to develop and deliver when called upon.
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