Marc Bartra gunning up

The centre-back has mainly been warming the bench so far this season, but he has stressed that he will be prepared to do his utmost in the side when called upon

Barcelona defender Marc Bartra has stressed that he will give his utmost for the team if given the chance to prove his worth in the Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich.

The Catalan powerhouse are currently plagued by injuries in defence, with both Carles Puyol and Javier Mascherano unavailable, and Bartra, now 22, has insisted that he is ready to step up and prove he is capable of filling the void.

"If they trust in me to play in Munich, I won’t disappoint. The greater the difficulty, the keener I am to give it a go. I have been preparing all season for my big moment to arrive," the centre-back told the official Barcelona website.

"I feel very comfortable with my team-mates. I’m getting better, I’m more into my rhythm.

"I am aware what kind of team I am in and I have never felt demoralised. I have taken things with ambition, thinking that my time will eventually come. I think I’m gradually getting better and that’s very important."

Bartra has made 13 appearances in all competitions so far this season.