Barcelona star Gerard Martín outlines objectives after Birmingham friendly: Our goal is to win everything.

Barcelona defender Gerard Martin urged calm after a 2-2 draw with Birmingham City, followed by a 3-2 defeat on penalties, emphasizing that the result mattered less than the progress shown during pre-season. He started the match at St. Andrew’s Stadium and acknowledged that Birmingham City’s higher fitness levels were noticeable at times, but believed Barcelona produced several encouraging moments. “They have more match fitness than we do. We’re only just starting, so that’s normal. But I also think we had many good moments. We’re a very young team right now, and we should be happy with what we’ve done,” Martin said.

Building chemistry with Christensen

Martin spoke positively about partnering with Andreas Christensen in central defense, a pairing that had few opportunities to develop last season. “Last year we didn’t get many chances to play together, but he’s a great player and it’s always enjoyable playing alongside him,” he noted.

Praise for Barcelona’s young talent

The left-footed defender reserved special praise for the academy and youth players who joined the first team during pre-season. Hamza Abdelkarim scored twice, and Ebrima Tunkara also showcased his potential. According to Martin, the youngsters have handled themselves well despite facing a physically demanding opponent. “We’ve competed really well, and I’m very happy with all of them.”

He also admitted that this pre-season feels unusual due to the absence of many senior internationals. “It’s a bit of a strange preparation because there aren’t many of our usual teammates here.”

Ready to fight for his place

Asked whether he considers himself a first-choice player heading into the new campaign, Martin made it clear that places must be earned daily. “You have to prove yourself in every training session and every match. I’ll keep fighting to make sure that’s the case.”

Martin outlined the squad’s objectives for the season, stressing that Barcelona aim to compete for every available trophy. “Our goal is to win everything. We have a special desire to win the Champions League, but we also want to win every other competition.”

He finished by praising the conditions at St. George’s Park, saying the facilities and cooler weather have made preparation easier than training in Barcelona’s summer heat. “The facilities are excellent, and it’s much more comfortable training here than in Barcelona. You don’t have to deal with the intense heat.”

Overall, the message from Martin is one of patience and optimism. He believes the team’s young core has shown potential, that the defensive partnership with Christensen can grow, and that the club’s ambition remains to compete for and win major trophies this season.