Barcelona have had a difficult couple of weeks, although they bounced back on Sunday with a routine win over Levante. The Catalans performed well in that one, with the standout performer being Joao Cancelo.
It has been a difficult start to his 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 of establishing himself in the Barcelona line-up after a top performance at the Spotify Camp Nou, which is bad news for Alejandro Balde.
Balde has failed to start in any of Barcelona’s last two matches, against Girona and Levante. As per MD, he is in real danger of losing his starting spot going forward, with Hansi Flick having preferred Gerard Martin and Cancelo in those fixtures at Montilivi and the Spotify Camp Nou respectively.
Balde has been inconsistent this season. He has performed well at times, but all too often he has struggled, which is likely why Flick has made the decision to try something different in the last two matches.
Balde benching comes amid transfer speculation
The situation with Balde has come at a time when he has been linked with a move away from Barcelona during the upcoming summer transfer window. Manchester United have registered their 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 has plenty of time to step things up, the fact that he is attracting interest means that a decision must be made as to whether he should be cashed in on. That will be decided by Flick and sporting director Deco.
