Former Barcelona defender Inigo Martinez has joked that he will not be returning to the club due to the finances that would be involved. The Basque defender has been sorely missed this season in central defence, with the Catalan side making cente-back a top priority for the coming summer.
The Blaugrana were keen to bring in another central defender this January, and some had suggested that bringing back Martinez could be the perfect answer. Speaking to Gerard Romero, as quoted by MD, Martinez gave an amusing response as to why it would not be happening.
“It’s impossible for Laporta to part with that much money,” Martinez laughed.
“Honestly, I’m very happy here. Of course I miss Barcelona; it was my best professional year, I knew what it was like to experience the Barca spirit. Obviously, I’ll have to watch you from afar. I won’t be able to be there because we play the next day.”
Without Martinez, Hansi Flick has eventually turned to Gerard Martin to provide a left-footed option there, after testing out partnerships between Pau Cubarsi, Ronald Araujo and Eric Garcia. The Basque defender was content for his former teammate though.
“I’m really happy for Gerard Martin. He’s made the most of his opportunity and is having a fantastic season. He enjoys learning and never complains, never has sour face. I’m glad to see young centre-backs from the academy and I hope he continues to do so well.”
On the other hand, Barcelona have opted to loan in Joao Cancelo, who will provide extra depth at full-back. It would seemingly assure that Martin spends more time in central defence than at left-back.
“João, when he arrived, already showed the level he has. He’s here to contribute,” Martinez commented.
🚨 FC Barcelona will not make the signing of João Cancelo official until after the Spanish Super Cup final. The full focus is on beating Real Madrid to lift the trophy for the second consecutive season. [@MCTorresA]
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 9, 2026
The veteran also gave his opinion on the Spanish Supercup, which saw one of Martinez’s other former sides involved against Barcelona.
“It was surprising because Athletic’s identity is to press for the full 90 minutes. They held on for the first 15 or 20, but then collapsed and couldn’t react. Barca fell short at the beginning, but they raised the white flag.”
In recent years, the Spanish Supercup has set the tone for the second half of the season. For the fourth year in a row, it will feature Barcelona and Real Madrid.
“It’s usually vital for the second half of the season. It’s a tough blow for the losers. Last year it gave us a significant boost. I watched Madrid’s last 20 minutes and they weren’t at their best. Barca are going into it with much more confidence. Let’s hope we enjoy it,” Martinez remarked.
