Flick Loses Koundé as Barcelona Face Defensive Injury Crisis
Hansi Flick will have to reorganize Barcelona's defense against Alavés after Jules Koundé was ruled out of the upcoming match.
The problems continue to pile up for Hansi Flick. Following defeats against Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, the German manager needs to find solutions to get Barcelona back on track, but injuries are making his plans increasingly difficult.
The biggest concern is in defense, where the manager will have to approach the next LaLiga fixture without several important players.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Jules Koundé has been ruled out of Saturday's match against Deportivo Alavés after his left ankle sprain failed to heal as expected.
The French defender suffered the injury against Real Betis and has been unable to return to full training since then.
Although there was initially optimism about his return, the player continued to experience discomfort, prompting the coaching staff to avoid taking any risks that could lead to a setback.
Hansi Flick Must Rebuild His Defense
Koundé's absence represents another setback for a team already dealing with a difficult situation in its back line.
Eric García, Andreas Christensen, and Xavi Espart also remain unavailable, leaving the German manager with limited options to assemble his defense.
Espart's situation is particularly concerning. The young full-back suffered a syndesmosis injury to his right ankle during El Clásico and is expected to be sidelined for approximately seven weeks.
With so many absences, João Cancelo, Pau Cubarsí, Gerard Martín, and Alejandro Balde are among the main options available to face Alavés.
The lack of defensive depth could also force Flick to turn once again to players from the club's youth academy.
Pau Cubarsí Returns as La Masia Provides Alternatives
Not all the news is negative for the Catalan club.
Pau Cubarsí returned to full training after recovering from the illness that prevented him from attending the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London.
His recovery comes as a welcome boost for Flick, particularly given the difficulties he faces in putting together his defensive lineup.
Youngsters Ebrima Tunkara, Àlex Campos, and Hamza Abdelkarim also took part in training sessions, while Guillem Víctor joined the first-team squad for Thursday's session.
Barcelona will host Deportivo Alavés at Spotify Camp Nou on Saturday, determined to bounce back after their recent disappointing results.
The schedule offers little room for recovery, with upcoming matches against Aston Villa and Atlético Madrid adding to the pressure.
Key Takeaways About Barcelona's Defensive Absences
- Jules Koundé has been ruled out against Alavés as he continues recovering from an ankle sprain.
- Hansi Flick is also without Eric García, Andreas Christensen, and Xavi Espart.
- Pau Cubarsí has returned to training, while several La Masia youngsters are working with the first team.
Jules Olivier Koundé
FC Barcelona
