Barcelona injury list leaves Hansi Flick facing defensive dilemma

Barcelona’s defensive problems have worsened in recent weeks, with Hansi Flick admitting his side must “get through the next two games” while waiting for injured players to return.

The Catalan club’s shortage of fit defenders was evident in their emphatic victory over Deportivo Alaves. Andreas Christensen, Eric Garcia, Jules Kounde and Xavi Espart were unavailable, while Gerard Martin was struggling with pain and needed to rest.

With Pau Cubarsi the only fully fit centre-back, Flick was forced to field an experimental back four. Brian Farinas played at right-back, Frenkie de Jong moved into central defence and Joao Cancelo continued on the left.

Reports in Spanish newspaper Sport said the situation remained a concern for Flick after the win, with the German manager offering no firm indication of when his injured players would be available again.

“We still don’t know when they will return, and we are working on that,” Flick said. “There has been positive progress in their condition, but the situation is not the best for us.”

He added: “We have to get through the next two games.”

Flick said he hoped one or two players could return soon, but stressed that Barcelona would not take unnecessary risks.

“I hope one or two players come back,” he said. “Christensen is close to returning to training, but we do not want to take any risks. After that, we will have two weeks to recover.

“We will see how we deal with it. We need all the players until the end of the season.”

Difficult fixtures ahead

Barcelona have recovered their best form after defeats by Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, but face another demanding week before the international break in November.

They host Aston Villa at Spotify Camp Nou on Tuesday before travelling to face Atletico Madrid on Sunday. The meeting with Atletico at Riyadh Air Metropolitano will have added significance, with the two sides competing for top spot in La Liga and separated by only two points.

According to Spanish radio station Cadena SER, there is little optimism within the Barcelona dressing room that any of the injured defenders will be ready for the Champions League match against Aston Villa.

Christensen, Eric Garcia and Jules Kounde are all nearing a return, but the trio are not expected to be fit for that fixture unless there is a major surprise.

Xavi Espart, meanwhile, is not expected back until the end of 2026 or, at the earliest, the beginning of 2027.

One of the three defenders could potentially return for the match against Atletico Madrid, but even then they would lack match sharpness and would be unlikely to be in ideal condition to start.

Eric Garcia is feeling better and will attempt to recover in time. However, Flick made clear after Saturday’s win over Deportivo Alaves that he would not rush anyone back for short-term benefit. Barcelona’s priority is to reduce the number of injuries gradually rather than risk further setbacks.