The upcoming match against Villarreal will be a true test for FC Barcelona, as the Catalan giants will be looking to give a performance that would in turn give La Blaugrana all three points as they hope to close in the gap between themselves and the top position in the league.
To do so, Barcelona have slowly but surely started enlisting the help of any and all those that can be made available for the clash. From registering previously unregistered players to calling up players from the ranks of the subsidiary, Barcelona are looking to take whatever route must be taken to ensure quality and depth in the squad.
In the most recent of developments, Barcelona has officially registered 32-year-old Spanish veteran Marcos Alonso in the records of La Liga as various reports had suggested Barcelona would end up doing after the contract extension of German goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen.
Courtesy of the German’s extension, Barcelona will be able to defer the captain’s salary to the latter stages of his new contract that sees him stay at the club until 2028 and one that has been a massive contributor in allowing Marcos Alonso to be registered, with Barca also hoping to do the same for Inaki Pena soon.
The latter’s registration comes at a time that makes him eligible for selection in the upcoming games, the closest of which will be the clash against Villarreal on Sunday. His involvement in the game could even be as a starter, due to a particular uncertainty at Barcelona.
With recent news emerging suggesting Spanish fullback Alejandro Balde has discomfort in his ankle, with conflicting reports coming up regarding whether he would start the game against Villarreal or be forced to sit it out, Alonso could end up becoming the player to replace the youngster against Villarreal as he is the only other natural left-back in the team.
The dilemma will now be one for Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez to sort out, as he could either replace Balde directly with Alonso if the youngster truly cannot compete on Sunday, or even change his system to one that does not necessarily even rely on a left-back in its entirety.
