Koundé to miss Barcelona’s Alavés clash as defensive injury crisis deepens

Barcelona have suffered another defensive setback ahead of their La Liga meeting with Deportivo Alavés, with Jules Koundé ruled out as he continues recovering from an ankle sprain. 

The French defender’s absence adds to the growing injury concerns facing head coach Hansi Flick, who is already without several key defensive players.

Barcelona had initially been optimistic about Koundé’s return this week after he picked up the injury during the club’s match against Real Betis ten days ago. 

However, the defender experienced discomfort while putting on his boot during Wednesday’s training session and was unable to train with the main group.

Barcelona subsequently decided against risking Koundé for Saturday’s encounter at the Spotify Camp Nou, preferring to give him more time to recover rather than risk aggravating the injury. 

He had already missed the club’s 4-2 Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain and their 2-1 La Liga loss to Real Madrid.

Koundé’s absence is particularly concerning because Marc Casadó, Eric García and Andreas Christensen are also sidelined. 

Casadó is expected to be unavailable for approximately seven weeks, further reducing Flick’s defensive options as Barcelona prepare for a demanding run of fixtures.

The available defenders include João Cancelo, Pau Cubarsí, Gerard Martín and Alejandro Balde. Flick could move Bryan Gil to right-back or make further positional adjustments to cover the absences. 

Another option is 18-year-old reserve-team center-back Álex Campos, who has recently trained with the first team and could be considered for a place in the squad.

Barcelona will aim to respond to their recent defeats and return to winning ways against Alavés, but their defensive injuries have complicated preparations. 

Flick must now find a workable defensive combination while ensuring players returning from injury aren’t rushed back before they are fully fit.

The encounter also presents Barcelona with an opportunity to regain confidence and maintain their La Liga campaign despite their personnel problems. 

With several defenders unavailable, Flick’s tactical decisions and the performances of his available players could prove crucial as the Catalan side look to avoid another disappointing result.