FCBarcelona coach Hansi Flick has announced that the club's defense will be reinforced in the upcoming matches, with the possible availability of JulesKoundé and AndreasChristensen. The announcement comes after the prolonged absence of XaviEspart, who has injured his right ankle and is out for seven weeks, which has complicated the team's defensive alignment.
Currently, Barcelona has several casualties in the defensive zone: Koundé, EricGarcia, Christensen and Espart. Furthermore, AlejandroBalde has been inactive since his incorporation and GerardMartín, although injured in the match against Betis, has played against ParisSaint-Germain and RealMadrid. In this context, Flick has indicated that Koundé could return for the next LaLiga match against Alavés, which will be played on Saturday. The coach will decide whether to introduce him in the first half or reserve his participation for the second half, with the intention of starting him in the Champions League against AstonVilla.
On the other hand, the club awaits the return of Christensen, who was injured on September 19 during the match with Sevilla. The injury, a muscle tear in the rectus femoris of the left quadriceps, is estimated to require between a month and a half and two months of recovery. Flick believes that the player could be available for the decisive match against Atlético de Madrid on Sunday, November 8. Although he is not expected to start, Christensen could be an option on the bench for a crucial match in the fight for the league title.
EricGarcia, injured against Betis with a muscle tear in the rectus femoris of his right thigh, has a prognosis of three to four weeks out. He is expected to return after the national team break that begins on November 9. DaniOlmo, who injured his adductor last Tuesday at ParisSaint-Germain, is also out for approximately four weeks, affecting the availability of key players up front.
With the arrival of Koundé and the possible availability of Christensen, Barcelona looks to stabilize its defense before the critical games of the season. The next step will be to observe how Flick integrates the recovered players into the tactical scheme, especially in the matches against Alavés and Atlético de Madrid, where defensive solidity will be essential to maintain the title race.