Marc Bernal: From ACL Agony to Barça Breakout, Spain U-21 Star Talks Lamine, De Jong, Busquets and Champions League Dream

Barcelona’s 18-year-old midfield revelation Marc Bernal sat down with SPORT during the international break to reflect on a whirlwind 12 months: a devastating knee injury, a dramatic return as goal-scoring starter, a maiden Spain U-21 call-up, and the Champions League dream that keeps him awake at night.

“It’s been a long and very tough process, especially mentally,” Bernal said of the ACL rupture he suffered last August, only three official matches into his senior breakthrough. “The first day I could kick a ball again felt like a little boy being given a gift. The day I returned at the Johan against Valencia was the second.”

That emotional re-launch has quickly morphed into productivity: five goals already, beginning with the strike against Mallorca he describes as “euphoric.” His celebration—kissing a tattooed forearm inked with his grandparents’ dates of passing—has become a familiar sight at Camp Nou. “They haven’t been able to watch me in person, but I know they’ve been watching me all this time.”

Bernal’s phone buzzed again last week, this time with the Spanish U-21 list. “I found out from my family; they sent me the call-up on my mobile,” he laughed. “Gerard Martin and Pau Cubarsi warned me I’ll have to dance.” The midfielder was also surprised to learn he had been placed on the senior squad’s preliminary list. “It’s a sign you’re doing things right.”

Support has arrived from every corner of the club. After surgery, Barcelona offered a contract extension until 2029 while Bernal was still bed-bound. “I couldn’t even put on a sock. That support meant everything.” He turned down January loan interest, notably from Girona, to fight for minutes at the club he calls “the love of my life.”

On the training pitch, competition will stiffen once Frenkie de Jong completes his rehabilitation. Bernal welcomes the challenge: “We have the best players in the world; those decisions belong to the manager. My relationship with Frenkie is great.” He also treasures messages received from Sergio Busquets and Andrés Iniesta after his injury. “Busquets is an idol; hearing from him spoke volumes about the person he is.”

While comparisons with Busquets persist, Bernal is carving his own path, eager to master “big-match experience and one-on-one duels.” A professional Clásico tops his personal checklist in a title race he concedes could be decided in that fixture.

Beyond domestic glory, the teenager has continental aims. “Inside the dressing room we’re confident of winning the Champions League,” he insisted, eyeing the upcoming quarter-final against Atlético Madrid, the same side that dumped Barça out of the Copa del Rey. “It’s an opportunity to prove ourselves.”

Personal ambition? “I already won La Liga last year… winning the Champions League would be amazing.”

For a player who once feared a year on the sidelines, Marc Bernal now dreams of lifting European silverware with the club of his life—proof that the darkest moments can precede the brightest stages.