Barcelona heads into Alavés clash with just four fit defenders

Four fit defenders. That's how thin Hansi Flick's options are at the back ahead of hosting Alavés this Saturday at Camp Nou. Barcelona returned to training this Wednesday after two days off following El Clásico, and the session at the Ciudad Deportiva Joan Gamper made clear the treatment room is still crowded.

The most concerning case is Jules Koundé, who is nursing a sprain in his left ankle and continued training apart from the group. He's actually the only one of the six injured players who still has a chance of making the squad for the LaLiga matchday 11 fixture. The rest of the list doesn't look good at all: fullbacks Xavi Espart and Eric García, center back Andreas Christensen, attacking midfielder Dani Olmo and winger Roony Bardghji round out the injury report.

If Koundé doesn't make it, Flick will be left with just four defenders to build his backline: fullbacks Joao Cancelo and Alejandro Balde, and center backs Pau Cubarsí and Gerard Martín. It's not the ideal situation to face a stretch of the schedule that hasn't been kind lately: the team comes off a 4-2 loss to Paris Saint-Germain and a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in El Clásico, back to back blows that demand an immediate response.

Reinforcements from La Masia

Given the circumstances, the reserve team is stepping in once again. Center back Álex Campos, who had already been called up for the matches against PSG and Real Madrid, trained again under the German coach. He was joined in the session by forward Hamza Abdelkarim and Ebrima Tunkara, two reserve team names Flick is keeping close in case the squad's needs grow even more pressing.

Saturday's challenge is clear: hold together a nearly makeshift defense against Alavés while snapping a two game losing streak. With so little margin for error at the back, any fresh physical setback would force Flick to turn to the reserves once more to fill out the squad.