Barcelona’s defensive headaches continue to mount as Hansi Flick faces one of his toughest selection dilemmas yet.
The Catalan giants have struggled for consistency at the back this season, with a string of injuries forcing Flick to rotate his backline more often than he’d like.
Despite moments of brilliance going forward, their vulnerability without the ball has become a growing concern, particularly in high-pressure fixtures.
As the Champions League group stage reaches a critical point and La Liga remains fiercely competitive, Barcelona’s need for stability in defence has never been greater.
Recent performances have highlighted that the problem isn’t just with the defenders themselves, but rather the overall balance of the team.
Flick has been vocal about the need for better defensive organisation, and even players have admitted that transitions and positioning need work.
Yet, any plans to test new partnerships or tactical tweaks will now have to wait, because another defensive setback has hit the squad at the worst possible time.
Andreas Christensen has suffered a fresh calf injury, ruling him out of Barcelona’s next few matches, as per Mundo Deportivo.
The Danish international had already missed the club’s Champions League win over Olympiakos and their El Clasico defeat to Real Madrid.
Initially, his absence was blamed on a bout of gastroenteritis, but reports from Catalonia suggest the real reason is more serious.
According to local outlets, Andreas Christensen picked up the strain in training between Saturday and Sunday, putting his immediate future in doubt.
The 29-year-old has endured a frustrating period with injuries over the past two seasons.
After spending much of the previous campaign sidelined with an Achilles problem, his latest setback will only add to Flick’s defensive woes.
So far this season, Christensen has played just 338 minutes across nine matches, starting only three times.
In his absence, Pau Cubarsi and Eric Garcia are expected to continue as the preferred centre-back duo, with Ronald Araujo as the main alternative.
Jules Kounde could also fill in centrally, though that would likely force a reshuffle at right-back.
Flick’s options are limited, and with crucial fixtures ahead, Barcelona’s defensive depth is being pushed to its limit.
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