Marc Casado will be eligible to face Barcelona when Deportivo La Coruna host the Catalan club at ABANCA-Riazor on November 29, after confirming that his loan agreement contains no clause preventing him from playing against his parent club.
The midfielder personally requested that the restriction be excluded when he joined Deportivo on a season-long loan in September.
His decision means his new manager Antonio Hidalgo can consider selecting him for the La Liga encounter, which could give Casado his first opportunity to play against the club where he developed as a footballer.
Casado personally requested the clause be removed
Speaking at a press conference, as relayed by Mundo Deportivo, Casado explained that he wanted to retain the opportunity to play every match during his spell in Galicia, including against Barcelona.
“As soon as I found out it was a loan move, I obviously asked them not to include that clause.
“I want to play in every match, or at least be available for every one. Whether I play or not is down to the manager, but at least I want to be available,” he explained.
The 23-year-old also discussed the matter with his agent, Jorge Mendes, to ensure that the restriction would not become an obstacle.
Simply put, he wanted his availability to be determined by Deportivo’s coaching staff rather than an agreement between the two clubs.
Now, the absence of a fear clause does not guarantee Casado a place in the starting XI, but it does give Hidalgo the freedom to select him if he believes the midfielder can help Deportivo against his parent club.
Barcelona reunion comes after injury setback
Casado’s return to fitness makes the possibility of facing his former club particularly significant.
Notably, he fractured his collarbone in September and underwent surgery, with an initial recovery estimate of around three months.
However, he returned to action against Espanyol on November 7, which is considerably earlier than expected.
Before that setback, the midfielder had made 75 competitive appearances for Barcelona’s first team.
Having progressed through La Masia after joining the club in 2015, he now has an opportunity to test himself against the side that shaped his development.
Deportivo to focus on Alaves before Barcelona
Despite the attention surrounding the reunion, Casado is not looking beyond Deportivo’s immediate commitments.
It is to be noted that the La Liga side travel to face Alaves on November 21, with the Barcelona fixture following eight days later.
Understandably, the fear clause is an agreement that can prevent a loan player from facing his parent club unless the borrowing team pays a previously agreed fee.
Neither La Liga nor the Spanish Football Federation expressly prohibits such arrangements, and it is to be noted that Barcelona have used them in previous loans, including those involving Ez Abde at Osasuna and Oriol Romeu at Girona.
