Barcelona prodigy likely to return for 2025 pre-season; surgery scheduled for next week

Marc Bernal was touted as the ideal long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets at Barcelona following a series of exceptional performances at the start of the season.

In the opening few matches, the 17-year-old showed impressive maturity and ability to control the game, making him a regular starter in Hansi Flick’s starting XI.

However, during Barcelona’s most recent win over Rayo Vallecano, Bernal’s hopes of establishing himself as a first-team at Barça were thrashed as he picked up a serious ACL injury.

Barcelona subsequently confirmed the nature of Bernal’s injury, ruling him out for the entire season in the process.

When will Bernal return to action?

A recent report from SPORT has offered an update on Bernal’s recovery, even giving a tentative return date for the young midfielder.

As per the report, Bernal could make his return to the pitch during the pre-season campaign of the 2025/26 campaign. This essentially means he won’t be back until next summer.

Although this is not a surprise given the severity of his injury, it is indeed bad news for FC Barcelona, who are already running short of options in midfield.

Meanwhile, Achraf Ben Ayad has confirmed that Bernal will undergo surgery on his injured knee in Barcelona next week.

Frenkie de Jong and Gavi are struggling with injuries, whereas the club offloaded the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, Oriol Romeu and Sergi Roberto in the summer.

Barcelona’s gesture for Bernal

Apart from a potential return date, the report also reveals that Barcelona plan to showcase their support for Bernal by handing him a contract renewal.

Bernal’s current deal at Camp Nou expires in 2026, but Barcelona want to extend it until 2029, in order to further safeguard his future at the club.

The Catalans want to expedite the talks over Bernal’s renewal in the coming weeks, though it remains to be seen whether or not the club have the financial capacity to register any potential agreement.