Just in: Barcelona defender ruled out of Alaves clash

Just in: Barcelona defender ruled out of Alaves clash In a major blow, Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona will be without Jules Kounde for Saturday’s LaLiga clash against Alaves after the French defender failed to recover sufficiently from a left ankle sprain. Despite initial optimism about his availability , Hansi Flick and the club’s medical staff have decided against rushing him back, leaving Barça with just four senior defenders available for the match at the Spotify Camp Nou. Kounde’s ankle injury forces Barcelona to delay his return Kounde suffered the ankle sprain during Barcelona’s La Liga match against Real Betis around 10 days ago. He subsequently missed the club’s 4-2 Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain and their 2-1 loss to Real Madrid in the league. The original plan was for the French international to rejoin group training midway through the week and potentially feature against Alaves. However, his recovery has not progressed as hoped. Kounde’s return will have to wait. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images) Kounde experienced discomfort when putting on his boot on Wednesday and trained separately from the rest of the squad. With Saturday’s fixture approaching, the club decided on Thursday that he would not be ready to return safely. The decision is intended to prevent the injury from worsening. Although his availability would have been particularly valuable given Barcelona’s defensive shortages, the club are unwilling to take unnecessary risks with a player who remains an important part of Flick’s plans. Hansi Flick left with only four available senior defenders Kounde’s absence compounds an already difficult situation for Barcelona. Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen and Xavi Espart are also unavailable, leaving Flick with Joao Cancelo, Pau Cubarsi Gerard Martín and Alejandro Balde as his only available senior defenders for the Alavés encounter. That shortage leaves the manager with limited options when deciding how to structure his backline. Cancelo’s versatility could prove crucial, as the Portuguese can operate on either flank, while Balde offers another option at left-back. Barcelona could also turn to Brian Farinas , who has emerged as a potential alternative at right-back. An option to fill in at right-back. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images) Repositioning the young defender would allow Flick to manage his available resources without making further changes elsewhere in the team. A more unconventional solution would involve using Rodri or Frenkie de Jong at centre-back, although that possibility appears less likely. Alex Campos, an 18-year-old centre-back who plays for Barcelona’s reserve team, has trained with the first team in recent days. His involvement provides another potential option if Barcelona need additional cover. With several defenders sidelined, Flick must balance the immediate need for a competitive lineup against the risk of disrupting other positions. Barcelona will be eager to return to winning ways after their defeats to PSG and Real Madrid, but the absence of Kounde and three other defenders makes Saturday’s task more complicated.