Bartra wants more playing time

Barcelona youngster Marc Bartra believes he needs regular playing time in order to aid his development.

The defender started from the bench in Thursday’s 5-0 Copa del Rey win over Cordoba, but was introduced at half-time in place of Carles Puyol.

And he is determined to prove his worth in training in order to get more first-team opportunities.

“It’s important for me to get some playing time so that I can feel comfortable on the pitch at the stadium,” Bartra told the club’s website.

“We have a lot of games coming up and it’s important that the whole team is prepared.

“We’re fighting for all of the titles and that means we have more games to play. I have to continue training hard in order to get more chances to play.”

The 21-year-old has made eight official appearances for Barca so far this term.