Barcelona have separated two academy graduates from first-team training following a squad reshuffle that accelerated after Roony Bardghji’s serious knee injury. Hector Fort and Marc Casado have been instructed to train individually as the club pushes both players toward summer exits.
The Swedish winger suffered the injury during a session on Monday and faces an extended spell on the sidelines. According to journalist Nil Sola on Carrusel Deportivo, Barcelona’s medical and coaching staff moved to isolate Fort and Casado from the main group as a precautionary measure while their departures remain in flux ahead of the August deadline.
Fort’s window of opportunity has closed
Fort impressed during pre-season appearances for Hansi Flick’s side yet cannot displace the established hierarchy at right-back. Jules Kounde and Eric García command the position, while prospect Xavi Espart looms as a long-term alternative. The 21-year-old’s technical quality has never been in question—his struggle lies in Barcelona’s depth chart rather than his ability.
The defender performed competently whenever deployed but competence alone cannot guarantee minutes at a club where Flick demands immediate first-team readiness. For Fort to develop meaningfully, he requires guaranteed playing time that Barcelona cannot offer this season.
Casado’s inconsistency has cost him momentum
Casado’s trajectory shifted markedly between seasons. His debut campaign under Flick showed considerable promise, yet his second spell in the squad became troubled and fractured. The midfielder remains talented, though Barcelona’s existing depth—anchored by Robert Lewandowski’s midfield partners and Robert’s playmaking—leaves minimal space for rotation.
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With Rodri’s departure creating space for alternatives, the club nonetheless views a loan or sale as more beneficial to Casado’s development than competing for scraps of minutes. A fresh club environment would provide clarity on whether his regression reflects systemic issues or the suffocating competition at Camp Nou.
Training isolation signals final chapter
Both players’ separation from squad activities represents Barcelona’s formal acknowledgment that their futures lie elsewhere. The arrangement protects them from injury risk while negotiations conclude—a courtesy extended while the club facilitates exits rather than blocking paths.
The coming weeks will determine whether individual training becomes permanent or whether Fort and Casado secure moves before the window shuts. Their absence from group sessions underscores Barcelona’s determination to move both on, regardless of sentiment surrounding homegrown talent.
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