Barcelona Hit by Dani Alves Blow Ahead of Key Games

Getty Dani Alves has been handed a two-match ban.

Barcelona will have to cope without full-back Dani Alves for the next four games after the Brazilian was handed a suspension for his red card during the team’s 4-2 win over Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou.

The Brazilian was sent off in the second half after picking up his second booking of the game for a stomp on Atletico’s Yannick Carrasco. The red card has inccured a two-match La Liga ban which will see Alves miss games against local rivals Espanyol and Valencia, as reported by Catalunya Radio.

However, Alves will also sit out Barcelona’s Europa League play-off fixtures against Napoli, as he has not been included in the squad, which means the Brazilian will miss four games in a row and not be available again until the visit from Athletic on Sunday, February 27.

Xavi was only allowed to include three of his four January signings in his Europa League squad and has already admitted that he feels bad that Alves is the man who has to miss out.

Alves has featured regularly since returning to the club for a second stint on a free transfer. The 38-year-old has played four games for the Catalans in all competitions, picking up two assists and a goal.

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Chance For Dest to Impress?

The suspension for Alves does offer Sergino Dest the chance to impress Xavi after struggling for starts at Barcelona since the 42-year-old replaced Ronald Koeman as first-team coach.

Dest was linked with a move away from Barcelona in the January transfer window, after losing his place in the team, but his agent insisted he wanted to stay and fight for his place.

“He has no intention of changing clubs,” he said. “I am quite sceptical about a possible transfer to Bayern this summer.”

Dest came on as a substitute in the final 20 minutes of the win against Atletico but is not guaranteed a start against Espanyol. Xavi could also use Oscar Mingueza or Ronald Araujo at right-back or revert to a three-man backline if Eric Garcia returns to fitness after a hamstring injury.

Aubameyang To Start Against Espanyol?

Barcelona’s fixture against Espanyol could also see new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang make his first start for the club following his January arrival on a free transfer.

Aubameyang came off the bench in the closing stages against Atletico but is “training hard” with a view to making his full debut in the derby at the RCDE Stadium, as reported by Diario Sport.

Xavi does have plenty of options for the game with Ferran Torres, Adama Traore, Martin Braithwaite, Luuk de Jong and Ousmane Dembele also available as well as youngsters Ez Abde and Ferran Jutgla.

The new Barcelona coach has already faced Espanyol since taking over as coach. Xavi led his team to a 1-0 victory at the Camp Nou in November 2021 in what was his first game in charge. Memphis Depay scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot.

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