Gerard Martin banned for Barcelona’s clash with Villarreal

Barcelona will be without defender Gerard Martin for Saturday’s La Liga meeting with Villarreal at Camp Nou after the 21-year-old collected his fifth yellow card of the campaign in Sunday’s victory over Levante, triggering an automatic one-match suspension. The timing of the ban forces head coach Hansi Flick to reshuffle a back line that has helped the Catalans reclaim first place in the standings.

With Martin unavailable, Joao Cancelo is poised to retain the left-back role he occupied against Levante, where his attacking forays and defensive diligence drew praise. Teenage centre-back Pau Cubarsi, rested at the weekend, is in contention to return as Flick weighs rotation options ahead of a congested run of fixtures.

The suspension serves as a reminder of Barcelona’s disciplinary tightrope: midfield anchor Frenkie de Jong and right-back Jules Kounde each carry four cautions and would incur a similar ban if booked against the Yellow Submarine. Villarreal arrive in the Catalan capital hoping to exploit any defensive uncertainty and derail the league leaders’ momentum.

Barcelona returned to the summit after Real Madrid’s surprise defeat to Osasuna, and another three points on Saturday would extend the gap before Madrid resume their domestic schedule on Monday against Getafe. Carlo Ancelotti’s side also face a midweek Champions League play-off second leg against Benfica, protecting a slender 1-0 advantage from the opening encounter.

Injuries are easing within the Barça squad, granting Flick a deeper pool of talent as he attempts to balance freshness and consistency in the title race.