Marc Bernal talks ACL injury, comeback, social media criticism, De Jong and Lamine Yamal

Marc Bernal talks ACL injury, comeback, social media criticism, De Jong and Lamine Yamal While Marc Bernal may not have burst onto the scene like other members of his cohort, including Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, he has had a significant role to play under Hansi Flick this season. An ACL injury initially appeared to break his hopes of a first-team role even before he got started, but the player has recovered well and is a valuable option for the manager amid the hectic schedule. He may well be behind Rodri and Pedri on the pecking order, possibly even Frenkie de Jong. Yet, it is safe to say that the best of Bernal is yet to come. Bernal’s detailed interview The youngster sat down for a detailed interview with COPE recently, where he opened up on a wide range of topics including his role in the team, his ACL injury, his difficult route back and much more. He first began by explaining his beginnings in La Masia and how he has transitioned his position over the years. Interestingly, he revealed that he never played as a centre-back “People have asked me that a lot because of my height, but as far as I can remember, I’ve rarely played as a centre-back. “I played there once for Barça B, but I don’t think that match went very well. They basically said, ‘Better go back to your usual position!’,”  he added. He then spoke about how long he has known Lamine Yamal and how far back their friendship goes. “I’ve known Lamine since we were seven years old. We started playing together at Barça in the pre-Benjamín category.” Bernal and Lamine share a decade-long bond. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) “We played together from the age of seven until Cadete A, when he was promoted straight to Juvenil A. They just kept moving him up and up!,”  he added. “Not that I can remember, but I’m sure we must have had some disagreements during training when we were younger!,”  he concluded, when asked if he ever had any disagreements with Barcelona’s number 10 in the past. On the game against Atletico Madrid The midfielder then revealed how he was surprised to see Frenkie de Jong come on at right-back against Atletico Madrid. “I saw Frenkie coming on and asked him, ‘What position are you playing?’ because I thought maybe I was the one being substituted. “He told me, ‘No, I’m coming on at right-back’,”  he added. On how he found the decision surprising, Bernal said, “I was honestly shocked! But the truth is, he ended up playing really well.” He was then asked what he would do if he was asked to play at right-back by the manager. “I’d play there and do my job. I wouldn’t take too many risks, but I’d make sure to deliver. If that’s where I’m needed, that’s where I’ll play.” On life outside the field Bernal then admitted to following football regularly even off the field as one of his many hobbies. “I watch matches that I find interesting. In La Liga, I usually follow four or five teams, like Real Betis, Atlético Madrid, Real Madrid and sometimes Real Sociedad.” “I also watch some Premier League teams. I really enjoy watching the big matches,”  he added. On how stardom and being a first-team player has changed his life off the field, the young midfielder said, “I think I’ve been dealing with fame and money for about two years now, since I signed the contract that changed things a bit for me.” “But I think I’m managing it well. My family also helps me a lot, and I always try to keep my feet on the ground,”  he continued. On social media criticism While most footballers try hard to stay away from noise on social media, the midfield starlet admitted to being a staunch follower of opinions online. “I’ve always been someone who checks a lot of what people say about me. I know it’s not good because when you have a bad game, the criticism can really hurt you.” The youngster revealed that social media criticism affects him. (Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images) “But I don’t know, I’m just curious. I mainly read what journalists say. When something pops up, I get curious and click on it to see what they’re saying,”  he added. He also admitted that there have been times when he was deeply affected by the criticism. “Yes, there have been times when I’ve overthought things because of something someone said about me.” In particular, the player revealed how he was affected by the criticism of him in his Champions League debut against PSG, which came relatively soon after his return from injury. “I remember the match against PSG, my Champions League debut. I had only recently returned from injury, and the intensity of the game was really difficult for me.” “After the match, I remember thinking, ‘I still don’t feel ready for this.’ That’s when I started reading what people were saying about me, and it really got into my head,”  he added. “I eventually stopped looking at those comments because they were affecting me too much. That was probably the match where I struggled the most mentally with criticism,”  he concluded. On his ACL injury The La Masia graduate also spoke out about his ACL injury and how thousands of thoughts entered his mind at the time. “My ACL injury? I thought about everything at the beginning. I was afraid I would never be the same player again. That was something I thought about every single day.” “I kept wondering, ‘What if I’m not able to get back to the level I was at before?’. It was really difficult, especially during the first few months,”  he added. Revealing when he actually developed confidence again, Bernal said, “Once you start walking, running and eventually getting back on the pitch, even if you’re training alone, your mindset starts to change.” “But at the beginning, it really gets into your head. You’re not just recovering to play football again. You’re recovering to compete at the highest level,”  he added. “You know that from the very first day you return, the intensity is going to be incredibly high. It was really, really difficult,”  Bernal concluded.