Spanish left-back Jose Luis Gaya had to leave training after spraining his right ankle on Wednesday ahead of the final warm-up round of the Spanish camp, and as per reports, Alejandro Balde could well be on his way to his first World Cup this year itself.
The Spanish Football Federation further explained that the player sustained a low-grade lateral sprain and the MRI results would help determine the extent of the injury and project out future developments, but a replacement isn’t ruled out either.
As per the source Diario Sport, the possible replacements for the now-injured Spaniard could be in the form of the seasoned veteran Marcos Alonso or the young talent Alejandro Balde, both under a contract at FC Barcelona currently.
Alonso after a move from Chelsea to Camp Nou has seen a rise in his prominent role, playing as a center-back at times where he has looked fairly comfortable.
He is good in the air and in the offensive half of the ground, albeit not the most pacy or physical player around but his experience and positional awareness make up for it.
As for Alejandro Balde, the young La Masian has enjoyed a breakout season under Xavi Hernandez at the helm. He has the pace, the physicality, the acceleration, and the ability to be productive offensively as well as defensively.
His productivity in terms of Goal scoring actions and buildup is also very underappreciated, and he’s also aerially dominant. If he’s called up to play for his country in Qatar, it would be a dream-come-true season for the youngster and a well-deserved selection.
