Barcelona arrives in Paris without Koundé or Eric García, turns to La Masia for PSG test

Between the Parisian fog and the lingering effects of the storm that left the squad sleeping in Seville, Barcelona has landed in France with more headaches than Hansi Flick would like. The opponent is PSG, the stage is the Parc des Princes, and the list of defensive absences has grown longer right when the squad needed bodies the most.

The team traveled this Monday after a turbulent weekend: first the weather warning that forced an overnight stay in Seville following the match against Betis, and then another setback, this time a delayed flight to Paris because of the fog. Two days of unexpected complications that, combined with the injuries, have made life difficult for Flick just 24 hours before one of the most anticipated matches of this Champions League league phase.

Because the truth is that the 5-2 rout of Real Betis in LaLiga left a bittersweet taste. Barcelona won comfortably, but lost two of its center backs along the way. Eric García suffered a muscle injury to the rectus femoris in his right thigh that will keep him out for 3 to 4 weeks, and Jules Koundé went off with a sprained left ankle that rules him out of the Paris trip and puts him in doubt for next Sunday's Clasico against Real Madrid.

Neither player made the trip to the French capital, and their absences add to the already known cases of Andreas Christensen, whose return date remains uncertain, and Roony Bardghji, who is not expected back until the final stretch of the season. In short, Barcelona's back line has been left nearly depleted right before the biggest match on the calendar.

Flick's solution: La Masia to the rescue

With the center back count running dangerously low, Flick has turned to the academy. The chosen one is Àlex Campos, an 18 year old center back trained at La Masia and a regular with Barca Atletic, who will make his first team debut for this European fixture. His profile fits what the German coach needs: good ball distribution and strength in the air, two qualities that could prove decisive against a demanding opponent like PSG.

Alongside Campos, Hamza Abdelkarim also returns to the squad. The Egyptian forward played his first match with the Barca reserve team this past weekend and now rejoins the first team list for the match at the Parc des Princes.

Monday's schedule includes Flick's press conference, set for 5:45 PM local time, alongside Pedri, held at the Paris stadium itself. Afterward, the team will train on the pitch where it will face PSG tomorrow, in a match that arrives with Barcelona forced to rebuild its defense almost overnight.