Barcelona Breakout Star Bernal Receives Order To Improve

BusinessSportsMoneyBarcelona Breakout Star Bernal Receives Order To ImproveByTom Sanderson,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Tom Sanderson has been primarily based in Barcelona since 2019.Follow AuthorJun 02, 2026, 06:33am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Marc Bernal has been ordered to take a step forward in his development by Hansi Flick and build on a strong 2025/2026 campaign.Getty ImagesMarc Bernal has been ordered to take a step forward in his development by Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick, and build on a strong 2025/2026 campaign next term.It was Flick who believed in Bernal most upon his arrival in Catalonia two summers ago. Ahead of Barça’s 2024/2025 preseason tour of the United States, the German promoted Bernal and near namesake Marc Casado to the first team group.With Frenkie de Jong out injured, the Catalan pairing looked to be locks in Flick’s defensive midfield amid impressive Stateside performances against the likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid.They started La Liga aside one another, yet tragedy struck when Bernal ruptured his ACL at Rayo Vallecano before the season had barely had time to take off.In 2025/2026, though, Flick didn’t forget about the teenager and his undoubted potential. While Casado has fallen by the wayside, and is being linked with an exit from his boyhood club to fund operations such as Bernardo Silva’s possibe free transfer from Manchester City after June 30, he became an untouchable in the heart of the midfield while De Jong was once more sidelined.MORE FOR YOUForbesBarcelona Boss Flick Approves Bernardo Silva Free TransferBy Tom SandersonBernal proved himself to be a rare breed of a pivot with an eye for goal by netting five strikes in all competitions.These took in an important brace against Atletico Madrid in a Copa del Rey semifinal second leg win which still resulted in an agg...