Barcelona has faced a challenging couple of weeks, although they bounced back on Sunday with a routine win over Levante. The Catalans performed well in the first half, with standout performer Joao Cancelo.
It has been a difficult second spell in Catalonia for Cancelo, with the match against Levante being only his third start across all competitions (second in La Liga). However, he has every chance to establish himself in Barcelona's line-up after a top performance at the Spotify Camp Nou, which is bad news for Alejandro Balde.
Balde has not started in any of Barcelona’s last two matches, against Girona and Levante. According to MD, he is at real risk of losing his starting spot, with Hansi Flick preferring Gerard Moreno and Cancelo in those fixtures at Montilivi and the Spotify Camp Nou respectively.
Balde’s season has been inconsistent. He has performed well at times, but too often he has struggled, likely explaining Flick’s decision to try something different in the last two matches.
Balde’s benching comes amid transfer speculation. The situation arises as he has been linked with a move away from Barcelona during the upcoming summer transfer window. Manchester United have shown interest, while Inter have also lined up a possible pursuit of the 22-year-old defender.
Balde’s situation is undoubtedly a concerning one for Barcelona. He has barely improved since breaking into the first team five years ago, and although he still has time to step up, attracting interest means a decision must be made on whether to sell. That decision will be made by Flick and sporting director Deco.
