A new Xavi destroyed by injuries: Unai Hernandez from the dreams of Barcelona to the darkness of the second division

The Spanish midfielder is going through difficult days

Al-Ittihad have sent Unai Hernandez back to Spain, and to the second division to be precise, after he had been one of the brightest rising talents at Barcelona.

In a statement on their official "X" account, Al-Ittihad confirmed they had agreed to loan the Spanish midfielder to Girona until the end of next season.

Unai now returns to Spain, and to Catalonia too, a season and a half after leaving his former club Barcelona. He will be forced to play in the second division, where Girona now find themselves after relegation.

Al-Ittihad signed the 21-year-old in January 2025 for 5 million euros, after he refused to renew his Barcelona contract having not yet broken into the first team.

Hernandez managed just 10 appearances for Al-Ittihad, scoring one goal and setting up three more. A loan spell at Al-Shabab last season brought only a single assist in 21 matches.

The young midfielder carried the tag of the next Xavi Hernandez, the Barcelona legend, yet he never won over Al-Ittihad's German manager Jens Wissing. That left the club to loan him out once again, this time to Girona.

His contract with Al-Ittihad runs until 2028, meaning he will be a single season from departing once his Girona loan ends.