Marc Bernal offers fitness update after Barcelona’s draw with Newcastle

Newcastle upon Tyne – Barcelona midfielder Marc Bernal moved quickly to calm concerns over his condition after he was substituted in the 73rd minute of Tuesday night’s 1-1 Champions League draw at St James’ Park.

The 17-year-old, retained in Hansi Flick’s starting line-up for the European encounter, gestured to the bench midway through the second half and was replaced after appearing to feel discomfort in his right leg. Cameras caught Bernal receiving treatment on the touchline, prompting speculation that the club’s mounting injury list had grown once more.

Speaking to Catalan radio programme Que T’hi Jugues as he exited the stadium, Bernal dismissed any suggestion of a fresh setback. “All OK, just cramps,” he said, offering a brief but reassuring assessment of his physical state.

The update will come as welcome news to Flick, who is already contending with a depleted squad. Defender Eric Garcia sat out the match after reporting minor discomfort, becoming the latest player to join the treatment room. The German coach acknowledged post-match that fatigue is becoming a critical factor as Barcelona navigate a congested schedule.

“It was an intense match,” Flick told reporters. “Bernal and Araújo are coming off long periods without playing. We have to take it step by step; it’s not easy. They’ll improve. It’s not easy to play against this team. And I think we played well defensively. We have to keep improving because we have great potential.”

Barcelona trailed to Alexander Isak’s first-half strike before a second-half equaliser salvaged a point, preserving their unbeaten start to the group stage. Flick praised his side’s resilience while admitting the performance in the final third left room for improvement.

“We’ve had a lot of previous matches, and injured players,” he added. “Bernal and Pedri are coming off a period of inactivity. We need to improve, that’s clear, but the positive thing for us is the result. After being 1-0 down, it was fantastic to be able to come back and get a draw.”

With a busy domestic calendar looming, Flick will hope Bernal’s cramp proves a minor inconvenience rather than the precursor to another enforced absence.