Hansi Flick will face Aston Villa in the fourth round of the Champions League with no defensive players returning from injury. Barcelona are still without Andreas Christensen, Eric García, Jules Koundé and Xavi Espart, leaving the coach with only four available defenders and forcing him to consider solutions outside their usual positions.
Christensen trained partially with the squad on Monday but was not seen working with the team on Tuesday. Eric García and Koundé continued their recovery through running and ball exercises, while Espart was seen wearing a brace on his right ankle. Flick said he hoped most of the injured players would return after the international break, with the possible exception of Roony Bardghji. He added that Espart could return for the first match of next year, while Eric García might be available for Sunday’s game against Atlético Madrid.
The coach praised Frenkie de Jong and Brian Fariñas for their willingness to help in unfamiliar defensive roles. Flick described De Jong’s readiness to play as a centre-back as positive and highlighted Fariñas’ debut at right-back. He said Fariñas was an option to start again and noted his connection with Lamine Yamal, while also pointing out that Gerard Martín can operate both centrally and on the flank.
Flick also addressed Alejandro Balde’s reduced playing time since João Cancelo took his place in recent line-ups. He acknowledged that a lack of minutes can affect a player’s confidence but said Balde has been training well. The Barcelona coach added that he had spoken with the full-back and was trying to help him regain confidence, while stressing that Cancelo is currently performing at a high level.
Tuesday’s match comes after Barcelona’s defeats by Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. Flick insisted that those results had not weakened his belief in the squad, pointing instead to the team’s previous 11 victories. He reiterated Barcelona’s objective of finishing among the top eight in the Champions League league phase and said the club has the quality to challenge for both La Liga and the Champions League.
Flick also praised Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, whom he called one of the best coaches in the world. He highlighted Aston Villa’s structure and character in both attack and defence, as well as the team’s work from set pieces, and warned that Barcelona face a difficult match against a strong side.
Sources: La Vanguardia.