Just in: Hansi Flick picks surprising defensive four vs Inter Milan | OneFootball

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is preparing a significant tactical shift ahead of the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg against Inter Milan, as Alejandro Balde has been ruled out due to injury, according to Javier Miguel of AS.

The news comes as a major setback for the Catalan club, just days before one of their biggest fixtures of the season.

Balde’s absence was initially seen as a blow, but with confirmation now filtering from the dressing room that the young full-back won’t recover in time, Flick has been forced to rethink his entire defensive strategy.

What will Flick do now?

Rather than trying to find a like-for-like replacement, the German tactician is now strongly considering deploying a four-man backline composed largely of centre-backs playing out of their natural positions.

One of the key indications of this shift came during Barcelona’s recent La Liga fixture against Real Valladolid.

Gerard Martin, who has been gaining minutes during Balde’s injury, played the full 90 minutes, suggesting the coach is experimenting with alternatives.

Inigo Martinez will play as a left-back against Inter Milan. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images)

However, the outlet mentions that it is Inigo Martinez who appears to be the frontrunner to start on the left side of defence, just as he did in the second half of the first leg against Inter at Montjuic, a move that worked better than expected.

Garcia will be the right-back

On the opposite flank, with Jules Kounde also sidelined, Eric Garcia is tipped to continue on the right. Though primarily a central defender, Garcia has adapted to various roles since Flick’s arrival and has become a mainstay in the starting lineup.

Furthermore, in the heart of defence, the duo of Ronald Araujo and Pau Cubarsi remains the likeliest option.

Yet, Flick has not entirely ruled out starting Andreas Christensen, especially given the Dane’s strong performance against Valladolid, which reminded many of his reliability in high-stakes matches.

This makeshift back is a result of Barcelona’s current injury crisis, but it also highlights Flick’s tactical pragmatism.

Instead of gambling on young or inexperienced full-backs, the German coach appears willing to rely on battle-hardened central defenders to absorb Inter’s offensive threat, particularly in wide areas.