Barcelona becomes the "Club of Masks"

Barcelona defender Eric Garcia attracted attention during the recent La Liga match against Celta Vigo after appearing in a protective face mask due to a broken nose sustained in the Champions League game against Club Brugge. This follows a series of instances in recent years where Barcelona players have had to wear face masks during matches. While wearing a mask was once a symbol of sacrifice and commitment, enduring pain and breathing difficulties, especially with older, rigid masks like the one worn by former captain Carles Puyol, medical advancements have made modern carbon fiber masks lighter and more comfortable, encouraging players to adopt them without hesitation when necessary. Barcelona has seen similar cases in the past two seasons, most notably young star Xavi, who made his first-team debut wearing a protective mask after suffering a broken jaw during the 2021-2022 season, and later had to use a helmet after a head injury. Ronald Araujo also wore a mask during last season's match against Girona after suffering a broken jaw, but he couldn't tolerate it for long and removed it after just 36 minutes. Similarly, Pau Coparci appeared in a protective mask after a severe facial injury sustained from a blow during the match against Red Star Belgrade, and later played in it against Real Sociedad. These successive injuries have led to Barcelona being dubbed the "masked club" recently, especially given the players' frequent use of protective gear for facial injuries. The medical staff and coaching management hope that Eric Garcia, along with the other injured players, will recover quickly to avoid any future impact on the team's readiness in domestic and continental competitions.