Hansi Flick is set to lead the FC Barcelona team in the upcoming pre-season, and how the players perform in this period will determine the composition of his team for the next season.
However, there are already some indications coming about which players the German tactician will be preferring for different squad roles in the first team next season.
As Mundo Deportivo has reported, the left-back position is one of the areas where things are getting a lot of clarity.
According to its report, Alejandro Balde will remain the starting left-back for the new Barcelona coach, and Alex Valle will be promoted to the first team to be his replacement. Gerard Martin will be the third option if both of them cannot play for any reason.
All of these three players have come from La Masia, which goes to show how many quality left-backs the Barcelona academy is producing.
In addition to these players who will be playing under Flick, some other graduates like Jordi Alba, Juan Miranda, Alex Grimaldo, and Marc Cucurella who are all performing at a high level, further showcase La Masia’s ability to produce great left-backs.
But as far as Barcelona are concerned, they will have to ensure that Balde is able to return to the same form that he showed in the 2022-23 season when he was able to take Jordi Alba’s place in the team, despite the significant age difference between them.
His athleticism, speed, and overall performance led him to be selected as a member of the Spain squad for the 2022 World Cup.
If Balde is able to return to his previous form, Flick will have another Alphonso Davies on his hands, a player who was integral for him as his Bayern Munich team won the treble. Alex Valle will be another good option, and Gerard Martin is also coming off from a good season with Barcelona Atletic.
