Barcelona midfielder shares recovery update after World Cup heartbreak due to injury

Barcelona midfielder shares recovery update after World Cup heartbreak due to injury Fermin Lopez is continuing his recovery from the fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot that ruled him out of the World Cup, and the Barcelona midfielder has shared a positive update on social media. Fermin posted several images on Instagram from his first month of rehabilitation, showing his progress as he walked with the help of crutches. The La Masia graduated added an image containing a message full of resilience, quoting Alfred Pennyworth from Batman: “Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.” He also used a Bible verse as the caption for the post: “The suffering we now face is not worth comparing with the glory that is to come.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fermín López Marín (@fermin) A difficult setback for Barça and Spain For Fermin, this has been a painful moment. Missing a World Cup because of injury is hard for any player, but especially for someone who had been growing in importance and fighting to show he belongs at the highest level. Spain also feel the loss. Fermin offers something very different to the current midfield options in La Roja . He would have played an important role off the bench for his nation at this World Cup, and it is a shame that he does not get to be there. His injury came at a frustrating time, but his attitude now matters. The messages he shared show a player trying to turn disappointment into motivation. Motivated. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images) Most Barcelona players are expected to return to training on 13 July for pre-season, but Fermin will continue working through the different stages of his recovery. Barcelona must be patient with him Fermin underwent surgery a while ago, with the medical staff expecting him to be out for three months of recovery. Barça need him back strong, not rushed. A metatarsal injury requires patience, especially for a midfielder who relies on sharp changes of direction, pressing actions and repeated runs into dangerous areas. For Flick, Fermin’s absence will be a short-term problem, but his long-term value remains clear. He should be available sooner rather than later after Barça start pre-season. It is great to see Fermin mentally motivated and channelling his disappointment into something positive. His World Cup dream may have been pushed back by four years, but there is no doubt that he will continue being an important player for Barcelona in the coming seasons.