Juan Hernandez reaches ball-work milestone in Barcelona comeback plan

Barcelona Atletic midfielder Juan Hernandez has resumed ball work as he enters the final phase of his rehabilitation from a serious left knee injury.

The 19-year-old suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in his left knee at the end of April and subsequently underwent surgery. Barcelona confirmed on 23 April that the injury had occurred during a training session at the club’s training ground and that an operation would be required.

Hernandez had been enjoying an excellent spell for Barcelona Atletic before the injury interrupted his progress. He scored 4 goals and provided 6 assists in 30 appearances, emerging as one of the reserve side’s most important players and earning several opportunities to train with the first team under Hansi Flick.

Barcelona rewarded his progress by extending his contract until 2028, with an option to add a further season. The agreement was formally renewed in February 2026, when the club also promoted him officially to the reserve squad.

According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Hernandez began his recovery with an individual gym-based programme at the Joan Gamper Sports Facility. He has now moved gradually on to exercises involving the ball, suggesting that he has responded well to the different stages of his rehabilitation.

Barcelona are not prepared to rush him back into competitive action. Despite around six and a half months having passed since his operation, the club is keen to avoid exposing him to a potential setback.

His latest progress comes at an important time for Barcelona Atletic, who are dealing with a number of absences. Several players have been called up by their national teams, while Landry Fary and Jaume Victor are injured. Those problems led the team to request that its match against Girona B be postponed.

Winger Sama Nomoko is following a similar rehabilitation programme and is expected to return to action next January.

Hernandez is regarded as one of the leading attacking prospects to emerge from La Masia. He joined Barcelona in the summer of 2020 from the youth system at Real Zaragoza and progressed through the club’s age-group teams before reaching Barcelona Atletic, who compete in the fourth tier of Spanish football.

The Spain youth international can operate as a playmaker, on either wing or as a centre-forward. His game is built around individual skill, carrying the ball forward and creating chances.

He has also been included in first-team squads, including for the Champions League meeting with Slavia Prague. That involvement reflected the coaching staff’s monitoring of his development and the possibility of a future opportunity with the senior side.