Barcelona youngster passes his first major test against Borussia Dortmund | OneFootball

Alejandro Balde’s injury opened the doors for Gerard Martin to appear in what was one of the most attractive games of his career.

Given that Barcelona headed into the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg with a 4-0 advantage, there was little fear about their chances of qualifying for the semi-final.

However, Flick reminded in his pre-match press conference that the team simply cannot take their foot off the gas at any time. While a 1-3 loss does seem like a heavy defeat, Barcelona still managed to secure a place in the last four.

During the game, Pedri and Inigo Martinez’s absence from the starting XI grabbed the attention, and amidst this, Martin’s performance went under the radar.

Against the Bundesliga side, Martin played the entire match, which was rightly expected to be a tough one given the mountain Dortmund had to climb. Yet, the 23-year-old defender held his fort for a large part of the match.

A look at his numbers

Gerard Martin was impressive against Borussia Dortmund. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

To put things in perspective, Martin’s defensive solidity was admirable, with the player winning more tackles (5) than any of his teammates.

Furthermore, he was also among those who topped the charts in terms of ball recoveries (5), showing good anticipation and a willingness to engage physically in key duels.

While on the ball, the defender had an impressive pass accuracy. Completing 41 passes with 83.7% accuracy, he reflected his calming nature against a tricky Dortmund side.

Moreover, his offensive contribution was also evident, completing nine passes in the final third, delivering two crosses, and creating one goal-scoring chance.

Ultimately, criticism was thrown for his involvement in Dortmund’s third goal, where he was beaten by Julien Duranville in a one-on-one situation.

However, looking at his overall performance, judging him on that single moment would be unfair.