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Fermin Lopez has disclosed that he went through "the worst summer" of his life after an injury ruled him out of Spain's World Cup-winning campaign. The Barcelona midfielder admitted he needed professional support to deal with the heartbreak, especially as the setback came when he felt he was at his physical best.

Heartbreak during the World Cup

Fermin has opened up on the huge psychological impact of missing Spain's recent World Cup triumph. A badly timed injury completely wrecked his summer, leaving him to watch his team-mates achieve international glory from the sidelines. The 23-year-old playmaker said he had been performing at the peak of his game before the physical problem suddenly forced him out of the tournament. Coping with that crushing blow required a strong support network, with the youngster leaning heavily on his family, friends and partner to get through it.

Tuning out the World Cup

The emotional effect of his absence was so intense that Fermin initially could not bring himself to watch the tournament. Speaking to Catalunya Radio's Tot Costa from Barcelona's pre-season camp in England, he admitted that seeing Spain in action was simply too painful.

"It's been the worst summer of my life. I was at my peak, everything was going well, and then the injury happened," Fermin said. "You learn from these situations, but it's true that I've had a really tough summer. I've gotten through it thanks to my family, my partner, and my friends. I needed help. I already had it before, but my coach has helped me a lot to get through it.

"I didn't watch the first few matches of the Spanish national team in the World Cup. I couldn't. I wanted to be there at the World Cup. Let me make it clear that it made me very happy to see my teammates win the World Cup. Towards the end of the World Cup, I felt a bit better and decided to go see the final live in New York."

Road to recovery under Flick

After going through months of demanding rehabilitation, Fermin is finally beginning to see progress. The midfielder is currently working closely with Hansi Flick's squad in the United Kingdom as he looks to rebuild his match fitness before the new campaign starts.

He remains very positive about his current physical condition and is already targeting a return to action in the Joan Gamper Trophy. The young star believes the painful experience of the summer has only given him even greater motivation to succeed.

"I'm feeling better every day. I have no discomfort, which is important," he explained. "If everything goes well, I could play a few minutes in the Gamper Trophy match. The intention is to come back from this injury with even more motivation. I think I'm very ready. I've already shown how I can help Barca, and I have to continue doing the same next season."

He also spoke about his ambitions for the new season, saying: "The dream of winning the Champions League is shared by the whole team. We've closed the last two years. This season could be a good one. We've been playing together for three years and have experienced a lot. I feel we're ready to win the Champions League. Winning a third consecutive league title is difficult. It will be a tough year. But if we're focused on our game and united, we can win a third league title."

Focus on the new season

With his fitness improving and his mindset refreshed, Fermin is now fully concentrated on aiming high with Barcelona. The Catalan giants are chasing domestic dominance and European success as they head into the new season under Flick's leadership.