The criticism that many Barcelona players are subjected to is very harsh, but at the same time, it is justified given the poor performances they have shown recently. This performance has led to the team losing all the points they were leading in La Liga, which forces Hansi Flick to find a quick solution. The statistics are indeed worrying, as the team has won only one match in the last six rounds.
The team has collected five points out of a possible 18, which has allowed Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid to come very close in the standings, and they could become leaders of the league in the near future.
According to information from the Spanish newspaper “El Nacional”, among the players who have been subjected to a lot of criticism is Alejandro Balde, who is still far from his best level and has not shown the performances he displayed two seasons ago, when he established himself as an undisputed starter under Xavi Hernández, outperforming his more experienced teammates such as Marcos Alonso and Jordi Alba.
Balde had a great start at the Camp Nou and became an indispensable star in the team, one of the mainstays of the project. However, problems began to appear last season, as he lost his place in the starting line-up due to a decline in form, before suffering a serious injury that ruled him out for the second half of the season and the European Championship.
Flick was convinced that he could recapture the Spain international’s form, as he did with Raphinha and Jules Koundé, and turn him into one of the best players in the world again. But the reality is that, apart from a few good games, Balde has continued to make major defensive errors and has not contributed as much offensively as he once did. In addition, his physical problems have continued to affect his performances.
Balde is one of Barcelona’s biggest disappointments, as he is no longer considered an indispensable part of the starting line-up, and there may be consideration of selling him if a lucrative offer comes in. This means that no possibility regarding his future can be ruled out.
The harsh reality is that Balde remains a starter only in the absence of real competition in his position, with Gerard Martin unable to provide the required replacement. Therefore, it is increasingly expected that Barcelona will seek to bring in a new left-back to strengthen their ranks in that position.