Barcelona turn to La Masia prospect ahead of Alaves clash as Jules Kounde remains sidelined

Barcelona turn to La Masia prospect ahead of Alaves clash as Jules Kounde remains sidelined According to SPORT , Hansi Flick has called up Barça Atletic right-back Guillem Victor to first-team training as Barcelona explore their academy options ahead of Saturday’s La Liga meeting with Alaves. With Jules Kounde still unable to train with the group because of an ankle injury, the German coach is preparing for the possibility of being without his first-choice right-back once again. Guillem Victor gets opportunity as Kounde struggles to recover Guillem Victor was the main new face in Barcelona’s training session on Thursday, as Flick assessed potential solutions to the club’s growing defensive problems. The Barça Atletic right-back has been a regular starter for the reserve team this season, and his inclusion suggests the first-team coaching staff are considering him for a possible senior call-up. Kounde, meanwhile, has yet to return to group training and will not feature against Alaves at the Spotify Camp Nou this weekend. The French defender suffered a left ankle sprain against Real Betis on 17 October, an injury that has already ruled him out of Barcelona’s Champions League defeat to PSG and their Clasico loss to Real Madrid. Kounde has not recovered from his ankle injury. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) The original hope was for Kounde to recover in time for Saturday’s fixture. However, with only two days remaining before the match and the defender still training separately, Flick must prepare for another game without him. Calling up Victor allows the Barcelona coach to assess an additional specialist right-back at a time when his options are severely restricted. The 19-year-old defender, the brother of former Barcelona striker Pau Victor, has become a permanent fixture in the reserve team, starting all of their eight league games this season. Whether the youngster makes the matchday squad remains to be seen, but training with the senior team represents an opportunity to demonstrate his readiness. Barcelona’s defensive injury crisis opens the door to La Masia Kounde is not the only defender unavailable to Flick. Xavi Espart, Eric Garcia and Andreas Christensen remain sidelined, while Dani Olmo is also continuing his recovery away from the group. Espart is expected to be out for seven weeks after sustaining an ankle injury during the Clasico . Garcia and Christensen are recovering from separate muscle injuries, further limiting Flick’s ability to rotate his defensive options. Flick turns to La Masia for solutions. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) The coach currently has four fit senior defenders available: Joao Cancelo, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin and Alejandro Balde. Brian Farinas is another possibility at right-back, while centre-back Alex Campos and Guillem Víctor offer further alternatives from the reserve team. With the defensive injury list showing little sign of easing, Barcelona may need to rely on their academy to provide additional depth against Alavés. Saturday’s fixture carries added importance after Barcelona’s recent losses to PSG and Real Madrid. Flick will want his team to respond with a convincing performance, even as injuries complicate preparations.