Barcelona Register 18-Year-Old Midfielder Marc Bernal With First Team

Barcelona officially registered 18-year-old midfielder Marc Bernal with the first team on the final day of the summer transfer window, a move enabled by Hector Fort's loan to Elche which freed up squad space. Bernal, who suffered a serious ACL injury last season, has fully recovered and is expected to return to action following the international break, with shirt number options including 2, 12, 19, or 22. The club and coach Hansi Flick have shown strong faith in Bernal's potential, integrating him carefully back into the first-team set-up. Meanwhile, Barcelona strengthened their reserve squad by signing 25-year-old goalkeeper Emilio Bernad on a free transfer, bringing valuable experience to Barça Atlètic. Fort's loan move to Elche allows him to gain first-team experience in La Liga, as he was no longer in Flick's immediate plans due to competition for the right-back position. These moves reflect Barcelona's strategic efforts to balance youth development, player recovery, and squad depth across their senior and reserve teams.