Barcelona’s 6-1 win over Alavés was exactly the response Hansi Flick wanted after defeats to Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. But the emphatic scoreline did not solve a problem that could become much more difficult against Aston Villa on Tuesday. The Barcelona defensive injury crisis has left Flick without four defenders, forcing him to move Frenkie de Jong into central defense and give a teenager his first-team debut at right-back.
Flick Reveals Fresh Injury Timeline Before Aston Villa
Flick offered an important update on Monday, confirming that none of his injured players would return for the Champions League meeting with Aston Villa. Andreas Christensen is making some progress after taking part in a small portion of Sunday’s training session, but he was not ready to rejoin the full group on Monday. Flick said the club needs to wait and see how he responds over the coming days.
The outlook is better for the longer term, although Barcelona still have to get through another demanding stretch with limited options. Flick expects Christensen, Eric García and Jules Koundé to return after the international break, while Xavi Espart faces a much longer wait. The coach said he might not see the young defender again until the first match of next year. Flick admitted that having so many important defenders unavailable is “not easy to manage,” particularly given the quality of the players missing.
Alavés Win Exposed How Much Flick Has Had to Improvise
The most revealing evidence of the problem came on Saturday. With four defenders unavailable, Flick started De Jong alongside Pau Cubarsí in central defense, while academy midfielder Brian Fariñas made his senior debut at right-back. João Cancelo operated on the opposite side as Barcelona put together a commanding 6-1 victory.
Flick explained that the decision to use De Jong was straightforward: he asked the Dutchman whether he could play at centre-back, and De Jong agreed. The midfielder’s response was simple: “When I can help the team, I will do it.” It was a valuable contribution, but it also underlined the lack of natural defensive alternatives available to the manager. Fariñas, meanwhile, admitted he was nervous at first but said his teammates helped him settle into an unfamiliar role.
Barcelona’s Defensive Shortage Is Not Going Away Anytime Soon
The injury list extends beyond the four defenders. Dani Olmo is also sidelined with an adductor problem, while Roony Bardghji is recovering from a serious knee injury. That leaves Flick with six unavailable first-team players in total, four of them defenders. It is a significant loss of depth at a time when Barcelona are balancing domestic and European demands.
There was one encouraging sign against Alavés: the makeshift defense helped Barcelona control the match for long stretches. But the visitors still found the net after a defensive mistake, and Aston Villa represent a different kind of test. Unai Emery’s side have started their Champions League campaign with three wins from three and will be looking to exploit any uncertainty at the back. Flick has praised Villa’s organization in both attack and defense, and he knows his side cannot afford to rely on attacking firepower alone to cover its defensive problems.
Barcelona have options, and Saturday showed that Flick’s players are willing to adapt. But until the injured defenders return, the manager will continue to face difficult decisions every time his team takes the field.
Barcelona Defensive Injury Crisis Leaves Flick Exposed Against Aston Villa