Hansi Flick confirms 21-year-old Barcelona defender will miss the upcoming UCL game | OneFootball

Injuries are always an issue for any top club, and FC Barcelona are no exception to that harsh reality. While a lot of work has been done to avoid unnecessary issues, there are some scenarios that simply cannot be avoided. Moreover, with the kind of calendar that Barcelona has to deal with, it is almost expected that injuries will become a natural part of it.

With an important game against Brest in the UEFA Champions League coming up next for the Catalan giants, it is important for Hansi Flick to have as many players at his disposal as possible. Unfortunately, the reality of things is that the Barcelona coach may have to make do without some key players.

Previously, it was already confirmed that 17-year-old Lamine Yamal would be missing this game as the Barcelona coach confirmed that his recovery is on track but he is more likely to return against Las Palmas in the next La Liga outing. Unfortunately, however, Yamal is not the only casualty for this game.

As highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, 21-year-old La Masia defender Alejandro Balde will also be missing this game due to some sort of hamstring discomfort that he is currently going through. It was due to this exact reason that he did not play against Celta Vigo in the last game, and it seems that Hansi Flick does not want to take any kind of risk with his fitness:

“Balde had muscle problems last week, and before the last game, we thought he could play, but it wasn’t possible. Today, he’s feeling better and could be an option for future matches, but not for tomorrow.”

As a result of his absence, however, the door could open up for other players. One such player could be 18-year-old Hector Fort, whose impressive performance against Celta Vigo could end up earning him the opportunity to start against Brest in this upcoming fixture.

However, Eric Garcia is expected to return for this match and he could provide some additional defensive cover to the team. Ultimately, the decision to field the final starting eleven rests with Hansi Flick and the German coach simply cannot afford to see his team struggle for a third consecutive match.