That Iñigo Martínez fell in love with FC Barcelona is evident, and there are several signs that confirm it. A single image, a gesture, or a word is enough to prove it, and the former Basque player has shown on several occasions that his short but intense spell at Can Barça left an important mark, both on him and his family. He left Catalonia last summer to start an adventure in Saudi football, but Iñigo continues to leave small gestures in the land that welcomed him. Among the most remembered from the past is the image that went viral: during the celebrations of the last League title, he waved an Estelada flag from the open-top bus that paraded through the streets of Barcelona to celebrate the titles of League, Copa del Rey, and Spanish Super Cup won last season. A gesture that, beyond the controversy, was as sincere as it was assertive, and for which it generated much buzz.

He left Barça this summer to start an adventure in Saudi football, but continues to bring joy to a large part of Barcelona fans. Iñigo Martínez, who went viral during the last La Liga celebrations because he waved an Estelada flag from the open-top bus that toured the streets of Barcelona, ​​​​has given an interview to The Big Game from Cadena Cope. Questioned precisely about this sequence, the Ondarroa center-back has disassociated his political ideas, which favor self-determination, from the times he has played for the Spanish national team: "One thing has nothing to do with the other. It's one thing for me to think that the ideal is for a people to be free to govern their territory and for me to be on the national team. If that were the case, I would have refused to go since I started going when I was under twenty."

Starter in the first three league matches, Eric Garcia seems to have earned a place in Hansi Flick's starting eleven.The Martorell-born defender, who can play both as a center back and as a full-back, has outplayed Jules Kounde in the first two matchdays, while at Rayo Vallecano he formed a center-back partnership with Andreas Christensen. His versatility also led the German coach to try him as a pivot in his first matches at Barça. "He's a very intelligent kid with the best judgment for distributing his play from the back," Marcel Sans, who had him in the U14 B team, where he played alongside Arnau Tenas, Take Kubo, Ansu Fati, and Nico González, told ARA.

The arrival of Anderson Luis de Souza, Deco, on Barça's Asian tour, marked a turning point. The Barça sporting director had missed the first match against Vissel Kobe, but was called up on the other side of the planet to join the expedition ahead of the other two friendlies in South Korea. One of the reasons for the request was to bring peace between the squad and the board following the inconveniences of a trip that began 24 hours later than planned. Hansi Flick had informed Joan Laporta that discomfort of the footballers and thestaff with an inadequate plan for preparing for the start of the school year, with too many coach journeys and infrastructure in need of improvement, so it was welcomed that Deco made the trip to calm things down.

A very surprising move in the Barça transfer market. Iñigo Martínez, one of Hansi Flick's most important players last season, is leaving. The Ondarroa-born center-back, with a contract until 2026, had sparked interest from Saudi Arabian clubs and is leaving Barça with immediate effect, as reported by transfer journalists Matteo Moretto and Fabrizio Romano and confirmed by ARA on Thursday afternoon. The move was made official this Saturday.

Part of the expectation that existed regarding Luis de la Fuente's list for the final four of the Nations League was Iñigo Martínez. Based on his performance, the veteran Barça center-back deserved to be part of the Spanish national team to compete for this official trophy almost a year after winning the last European Championship. In fact, in the previous international call-up, the coach actually called him up, although he asked to be dropped due to physical problems that led Osasuna to raise the issue with the offices for alleged improper selection. Now, De la Fuente has understood the situation and has opted directly for less experienced players, such as Dean Huijsen, Real Madrid's brand new center-back. Although he would take Iñigo because he understands that his season with Barça supports him, he has preferred to save him the inconvenience.

When Ernesto Valverde became Barça's new manager in the summer of 2017, his plan was to bring Iñigo Martínez into the team. At the time, the left-footed center-back from Ondarroa was still playing for Real Sociedad. The signing never materialized because the Blaugrana had prestigious players, including in the back line, who advised against the move. Months later, Iñigo ended up at Athletic Club. Ultimately, Last season was the season of his arrival at Barça. Hampered by injuries, the defender didn't have the continuity he desired with Xavi Hernández on the bench. It wasn't until this 2024-2025 season, under Hansi Flick, that he became a mainstay for Barça.

Unaware of the moral blow that was the 2-0 scored by Alexander Sorloth in the seventieth minute of the match the last Atlético de Madrid - Barça, Iñigo Martínez made his way into the opposition half with great difficulty. Convinced that his team—which, despite trailing, had created plenty of opportunities to beat Jan Oblak—could turn the score around in just twenty minutes, he eagerly asked his teammates for support and handed them the ball. But none of them offered him a better solution than what he would end up doing: a precise cross for Robert Lewandowski, a man in the box, to initiate the comeback. The play could have been worth a championship. By that point, Iñigo was already feeling discomfort in his right knee. However, he completed the full ninety minutes and—most importantly—celebrated a 4-2 victory that brings him closer to winning his first league title after almost fifteen years of competing in it.