Getty Frenkie de Jong and Ansu Fati in training.
Barcelona are without seven first-team players for Saturday’s La Liga clash due to injury as the Catalan giants begin life after Ronald Koeman. Interim coach Sergi Barjuan will take charge of the team for the first time but has a number of issues to deal with.
Barjuan has named a 22-man squad but is without Ansu Fati, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Ronald Araujo, Martin Braithwaite, Sergi Roberto, and Ousmane Dembele.
The absence of Dembele is a surprise as the coach told a news conference on Friday that Dembele had trained ahead of the match and “could” be called but has still not made the cut.
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#BarçaAlavés
Barjuan has also included B team youngsters Abde Ezzalzouli and Alvaro Sanz to his squad. The two players were a surprise addition to first-team training on Friday and will be hoping for minutes against Alaves.
👏🏻 Ez Abde and Álvaro Sanz called up to the squad for the first time
The coach explained at his pre-match press conference that he had called up the two youngsters due to the injury situation at Barca. He said, “It’s true they may have chances. There are a lot of injury problems and we need to try and balance the team out, given the absences. These two players can perhaps give the team something and we’ll see.”
Abde is a 19-year-old left-winger who joined the club in the summer from Hercules. Sanz has been at Barca since 2015 and is a defensive midfielder who can also play at full-back.
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Barca Confirm Sergi Roberto Injury
Barca’s injuries are a concern with the team needing to bounce back from defeats to Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano that resulted in Koeman being sacked as manager after 14 months at the helm.
The latest player to join the club’s lengthening injury list is Roberto. Barca confirmed on Saturday that he is suffering a thigh injury.
‼️ INJURY NEWS
First team player Sergi Roberto has picked up an injury in his right thigh. He is unavailable for selection and his recovery will dictate his return.
Roberto’s latest setback is causing the club “much concern,” according to Javi Miguel at Diario AS. The 29-year-old missed four months last season with a similar injury and it’s thought he will also sit out Barca’s Champions League trip to Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday, November 3.
Barjuan Calls For ‘United’ Barcelona
Barjuan’s teamsheet for Saturday’s match will make for interesting reading, particularly due to all the injuries, but the coach has suggested he will not make too many changes, as reported by Football Espana.
“We have to try to get everyone plugged in, that is difficult. We have to be all together, the people that are coming to the game tomorrow,” he said. “The style of play will not vary, but maybe some tactical concepts could provide the solution.”
Barca head into Matchday 12 down in ninth place in the table and in need of a three points to avoid seeing their titles hopes disappear completely after a disappointing start. Barjuan knows full well that his team simply have to take all three points against Alaves.
“I am a winner and we have to reverse the situation. If I have to interviene in situations for the best of the team, I will do it,” he added. “Tomorrow we have to win the game because La Liga is open. We cannot fail to get points and especially not at home. We have to recover the idea of direct football.”
Alaves started the season with five straight La Liga defeats but have beaten defending champions Atletico already in 2021-22 and head to the Camp Nou with momentum after victories over Elche and Cadiz.
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