Camp Nou is waiting for Arnau Martinez on big night

Despite the fact that it is 65 years old, that its condition could be much improved and that it is in the process of being refurbished, the Camp Nou continues to impress atheists and believers alike every time they enter it for the first time. Arnau Martínez will be one of those privileged few who will not sit in a seat in the stands, but when the Barça anthem is played, he will walk out onto the pitch where he longed to triumph.

Girona visit the Spotify Camp Nou this Easter Monday in the 28th round of La Liga, in what will be his debut on this stage. It will not be the first time he has faced Barça: he did so in January in the first game, playing all 90 minutes at Montilivi (0-1).

For all footballers, it is special to face a rival of Barça's stature, even more so when you have spent eight years in the youth ranks of the club, as is the case of Arnau. The player from Premià de Dalt started kicking the ball around at CE Premià de Mar, until he moved on to the FC Barcelona Escola. He made the leap to the Prebenjamín and his time there lasted until the first year of Infantil.

Farewell in tears

At the end of the 2015/16 season, the club informed his parents that our protagonist was not part of the team's plans for next season. News that the little footballer received amidst tears that lasted several days. He accepted his new reality and went on to wear the L'Hospitalet shirt for two years.

Girona signed him for the Cadete A team and as a first year youth player, he was already competing in the 'A' team. His growth was exponential and he made his debut with the first team at the age of 17 in the Cup against Gimnástica Segoviana. He took over the central axis in the final stretch of the season and never let go. Immovable in the team, he moved his position to right-back in an 'invention' by Míchel in a system of five defenders, which has ended up extolling him as one of the most promising full-backs on the current footballing scene.

He has always had the soul of a striker and has enjoyed attacking. In the right wing -although he has also played on the left- he has been at his best. Given his profile, it might seem that as a child he mirrored Dani Alves, but he has always reiterated that his reference was Mascherano.

Precocious talent

Already established at Girona, he became the youngest player to score for the Girona side in both the second and first divisions. He debuted in the silver category with an assist against Albacete and his first goal came in May 2021 against Logroñés. 

In the Spanish top flight, he made his debut in front of goal against Betis. He also 'dunked' in the following matchday against Real Sociedad, as well as scoring a goal in the last league match against Espanyol. Although, without a doubt, one of the goals he will always remember most was the 1-3 goal he scored against Tenerife in the second leg of the final of the play-off for promotion to the Primera Division.

A born Culé for 20m

His meteoric rise to the top just shy of his 20th birthday has made him one of the most watched players in Europe. In January he signed his renewal with Girona until 30 June 2025. His termination clause was five million euros, but it was automatically increased to 20 kilos when he was promoted to the First Division.

Barça have been very attentive to his development and the club has good reports on the defender. His versatility and projection has also attracted the attention of some Premier League clubs, as well as Atletico Madrid, who have him in the category of 'priority target'. Arnau's desire, as he has reiterated every time he has been asked about it, is to return to wear the Blaugrana shirt and triumph at the Spotify Camp Nou.

Among the priorities of the sporting direction of the Azulgrana is the signing of a right-back. Names such as Juan Foyth, Joao Cancelo, Thomas Meunier, Diogo Dalot, Benjamin Pavard or Jeremie Frimpong have been mentioned to reinforce the team's defensive line. The team's delicate financial situation means that future signings must be made as free agents or for an affordable transfer fee. Girona refer suitors to the cancellation clause of the defender: 20 million euros.

Should he return to FC Barcelona, he would be reunited with one of his former teammates when he played on weekends at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper: Alejandro Balde. One on the right and the other on the left. Just like in the old days.