Hansi Flick set to field new defensive back four against Alaves as injury crisis deepens

Hansi Flick set to field new defensive back four against Alaves as injury crisis deepens Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is preparing to field a significantly altered defence against Alaves this weekend after injuries left several of his regular defenders unavailable, according to Mundo Deportivo .  The 1-2 El Clasico defeat brought another setback with Xavi Espart joining Eric Garcia , Andreas Christensen and Jules Kounde on the injury list, leaving Flick with limited options for Saturday’s La Liga fixture. Of the aforementioned, Kounde is the only injured defender who could recover in time for the match , although his availability remains uncertain.  Regardless of whether the Frenchman returns, Barcelona are expected to deploy a defensive combination that differs from their most frequently used back four this season. Barcelona injuries leaves Flick with limited defensive options Kounde sustained an ankle sprain during Barcelona’s league match against Real Betis, and Flick is hopeful that the right-back can recover before the Alaves game, but his fitness will determine whether he can be included from the start. Christensen is expected to miss the weekend fixture after suffering an injury to the rectus femoris muscle in his left thigh against Sevilla.  Xavi Epsart picked up an injury against Real Madrid. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) As reported before, the Danish defender could instead target Barcelona’s meeting with Atletico Madrid on November 8. Eric Garcia faces a longer recovery after injuring the rectus femoris in his right thigh during the Betis match.  Espart’s latest setback further reduces Flick’s options, creating a difficult selection problem at both full-back positions and in central defence. Flick faces new Barcelona defence selection dilemma For now, Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martíi have been the preferred centre-back pairing, but the injuries around them complicate the positions on either side.  Kounde has featured at right-back this season, while Espart has also been used on the left. Hansi Flick will field a new defence against Alaves. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) Joao Cancelo has offered another option, although he has not started at right-back in any of Barcelona’s 13 competitive matches. Alejandro Balde’s limited involvement adds another complication. The academy graduate has played only 86 minutes across three matches and has not started at left-back during that run. Flick could therefore have to rely on players who have not regularly occupied their expected positions.  Using another versatile option, such as Brian Farinas , would represent an additional experiment rather than a settled solution. Barcelona have already used 10 different defenders this season, which shows how frequently Flick has had to adjust his back line and against Alaves, there will be a new back four.