Barcelona and Spain fullback Eric Garcia has withdrawn from the rest of the fall international break after pulling up with a knee injury.
Garcia was named by Luis de la Fuente in the Spain starting lineup to take on England at Wembley Stadium on Saturday but never made it to the first whistle. A “minor issue” in the prematch warm-up, to use his international manager’s diagnosis, forced an emergency reshuffle with repercussions spreading beyond that Nations League opener.
De la Fuente was initially optimistic that Garcia would recover before Spain’s next international fixture against Croatia on Tuesday but the 25-year-old has pulled out entirely. Given Hansi Flick’s very public affection for a player who has such a vast influence on Barcelona’s approach, this news will not have gone down well in Catalonia.
Eric Garcia Injury Progress, Potential Return
Garcia was sidelined with “discomfort in his left knee,” the Spanish soccer association revealed. A statement from the federation confirmed that the versatile defender would be sent back to his club side for further tests.
De la Fuente insisted that “it doesn’t seem serious” and the messaging has been that this is a precautionary, rather than reactionary, move. There is hope Garcia may have recovered in time for Barcelona’s first game back against Getafe on Saturday, Oct. 10.
The so-called ‘FIFA Virus’ has a potent strain coursing through Barcelona, who seem to readily lose their players to injuries sustained on international duty. Ahead of a daunting set of fixtures in October, including a Champions League clash with the reigning champions, Paris Saint-Germain, and the season’s first Clásico, Flick can’t be too careful. Especially not with a player as important as Garcia.
Why Is Eric Garcia So Important to Barcelona?
“For a coach, it’s great to have a player like Eric.”
There are no obvious physical qualities which leap out about Eric Garcia. The 5’11” right back is not particularly fast or dominant in the air. It’s been seven months since his last assist and more than a year removed from his most recent goal. But he is invaluable for Flick.
“Eric, from the beginning of the season since I arrived, you could see his potential,” Flick gushed last term. “When you want to be a leader, it’s important you have those things, that you’re professional, disciplined, help your teammates, and he always gives everything for the team.
“It doesn’t matter if he plays right back, left back, center back, defensive midfield, or on the bench, he’s always the same.”
Garcia is the physical manifestation of his manager on the pitch. A former captain at every age level in Barcelona’s academy broadened his horizons with a spell under Pep Guardiola’s wing at Manchester City. In the prematch warmup for one encounter against Watford in 2019, Garcia spotted that Quique Sánchez Flores’s visitors were lining up in a new formation and scurried across to inform Guardiola, who promptly tweaked his approach. Within 18 minutes, City were 5–0 up.
The World Cup winner started his coaching badges in his early teens and takes that knowledge into every match. This level of insight is invaluable for a manager like Flick, who deploys such a high-spec pressing system which can go awry with even the slightest misstep. Fortunately for the German tactician, his on-field counterpart is not expected to miss much action.
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