Barça is moving towards the treble and needs all the firepower it can get. After losing Lewandowski, Alejandro Balde is the latest player to return from injury, with his sights set on the Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan on April 30.
Alejandro Balde had to leave the field in the 38th minute against Leganés after feeling a twinge in the back of his thigh. The medical team confirmed the substitution. Balde himself said, “I’m broken,” according to reports. Gerard Martín came on to replace him in LaLiga.
The full-back, who injured his left hamstring in Leganés on April 12, is working tirelessly to be fit for the Champions League semi-final first leg against Inter on April 30. Alejandro Balde is an undisputed starter on the left wing and has the confidence of the club. In recent weeks, the need to bring in another player capable of covering the number 3’s back has become clear. Gerard Martín has had to step up in recent games.
Right now, the focus is not on reaching the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid, which has been ruled out completely, but on the possibility of the player being available for the semi-finals against Inter Milan. This is a huge challenge, as he will not even have been out for three weeks.
The objective is clear, but it will be necessary to assess his final condition and the real risk of a relapse, which could be high given the explosive nature of the player’s style of play. Last season, he even had to undergo surgery to repair a complete tear of the proximal tendon of the biceps femoris in his right leg.
Barça looking for competition for Balde
One of Deco’s tasks in the transfer market is to find a right-back. In that position, there is an undisputed starter, Jules Koundé, and a backup, Héctor Fort, who continues to fail to convince the club, even though the 18-year-old defender has not made any serious mistakes in his few appearances this season. The French full-back is becoming one of the best full-backs in the world and is a sure starter for Hansi Flick, who, in turn, wants a reliable replacement.
The same is true on the other side of the defense. There, the incumbent is Alejandro Balde, who is a key player and has the club’s confidence. In recent weeks, the need to bring in another player capable of covering the back of the ‘3’ has become clear. Balde has had little rest due to the doubts surrounding Gerard Martín. Barça is already within the 1:1 rule for signings, but still has problems with its wage bill and little cash to move in the market.