Barcelona defender still a doubt for Girona clash due to back issue, could create dilemma for Xavi | OneFootball

Barcelona defender Marcos Alonso is still suffering from back pain, meaning that his participation in Sunday’s home game against Girona is extremely uncertain, reports SPORT.

It is said that Xavi is closely monitoring Alonso, who has been struggling with back discomfort for several days, resulting in his absence from the recent match against Atletico Madrid.

As the decision on the defender’s inclusion looms, the reality is that his absence could potentially alter Xavi’s tactical strategy, even though the former Chelsea player hasn’t played a prominent role this season.

What could happen?

With Inigo Martinez sidelined due to injury, Xavi finds himself with only three primary first-team centre-backs, namely, Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, and Andreas Christensen.

An emerging trend that has yielded positive results for Barcelona involves positioning either Kounde or Araujo on the right side when all three centre-backs are on the pitch.

However, should Alonso not make it to the squad, it would leave Xavi without any senior substitute centre-back on the bench.

Consequently, his potential absence might necessitate a tactical adjustment. This could mean fielding two traditional full-backs, with Joao Cancelo on the right and Alejandro Balde on the left, leaving only two centre-backs on the field.

Marcos Alonso did not play against Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

A change with a challenge

Such a formation would afford the coach the option to have Kounde, Araujo, or Christensen on the bench, with indications pointing towards Christensen being a likely candidate, considering his recent absence from the last two training sessions due to paternity leave.

In this scenario, Xavi would have the flexibility to respond to unforeseen developments during the match.

However, this alternate strategy implies that Xavi won’t have dedicated full-back substitutes on the bench, although Sergi Roberto could still serve as an option in case Balde or Cancelo face any setbacks.

On the other hand, on Friday, Mikayil Faye and Hector Fort trained under Xavi, yet it appears unlikely for either of them to make it onto the list against Girona.