The defeat to Athletic Club in their last match can have significant implications for FC Barcelona. With this defeat, the Catalans have missed out on the Copa del Rey this season, which was an important trophy for the club.
However, the events of that night will impact Xavi’s team in other competitions as well. In addition to the loss of morale because of this defeat, Barcelona also lost another of their defenders, Alejandro Balde, to injury.
Other defenders like Inigo Martinez and Marcos Alonso are already out, but Joao Cancelo has almost completely recovered. Balde’s injury is expected to keep him out for a significant time.
As Mundo Deportivo has noted, Xavi will have several options to replace Balde in the lineup for the coming weeks. Cancelo has returned from injury and he can play on both the flanks, while Hector Fort has also emerged as a reliable option in the last few matches.
Both these players have played on the left flank several times this season. Cancelo played on that flank in the matches against Alaves, Porto, Girona, and Atletico Madrid, and then returned to the right-back position. Hector Fort played in the left-back position against Barbastro and Athletic Club.
Another option for Xavi could be to go for a three-man backline, with Pau Cubarsi joining Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde. However, Andreas Christensen also left the last match with a discomfort in his Achilles tendon. Although this problem is not a serious one for the Dane, his absence means Xavi will be stretched too thin if he goes for a three-man backline in his next match.
