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Alejandro Balde could land an unexpected route back into Hansi Flick’s plans as Barcelona prepare for a defining Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain. Mundo Deportivo reports that Flick is weighing his defensive options after injuries to Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia thinned his backline ahead of matchday three in the group stage. The academy left-back has featured for just 12 minutes all season, yet the sudden shortage of fit defenders has pushed his name back into contention for one of the toughest fixtures on the calendar.
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A starting role still looks unlikely on paper. The injury situation has forced Flick to consider options he might otherwise have ignored, and that alone gives Balde a sliver of hope heading into Paris.
Kounde and Garcia injuries leave Flick with decisions to make
Barcelona’s defensive setup has hit trouble at an awkward moment in the season. Kounde and Garcia both bring composure in one-on-one duels and the width Flick relies on to stretch opponents, qualities that sit at the core of his tactical identity.
Their absence forces the German coach to rework his personnel before facing PSG in a fixture that carries real weight for Barcelona’s group-stage standing. Flick needs a defensive line that can contain the French side’s attacking threat while still allowing his team to build play and create space higher up the pitch.
Balde, whose long-term future at the club remains uncertain, sits among the candidates who stand to gain from this reshuffle. His lack of match sharpness complicates the call, especially given the caliber of the opponent and the stakes attached to a Champions League night in Paris.
Balde faces chance to end Barcelona exile
The extent of Balde’s absence from Flick’s plans is stark. He has not started a match since Barcelona’s final LaLiga outing of last season, a 1-3 defeat away to Valencia on 23 May, played after the title had already been secured.
His European minutes have been even scarcer. Balde has gone three straight Champions League matches without a single appearance, last featuring for four minutes in the first leg against Atletico Madrid on 8 April, a match Barcelona lost 0-2.
A start against PSG would mark a sharp shift in his standing within the squad, handing him a chance to prove his value during one of the busiest and most demanding stretches of the campaign.
Flick needs solutions before crucial PSG test
Barcelona cannot let injury troubles define their entire approach to this match. Flick must balance the need for defensive solidity with the attacking width and quality his system depends on.
Balde represents one possible answer, though starting him carries risk given his absence from competitive action. The final call rests on Flick’s read of the alternatives available to him and the shape he wants across the back line.
Read also: Paris Saint Germain vs Barcelona Prediction: 20.10.2026 UEFA Champions League
Barcelona fans will find out soon enough whether Balde gets the nod. Keep following TipsGG for the team news and build-up ahead of Barcelona’s clash with PSG.