Barcelona’s record start masks Alejandro Balde’s dwindling role under Flick
Barcelona are tearing up the record books with a flawless start to the campaign, yet left‑back Alejandro Balde finds his future hanging by a thread as Hansi Flick repeatedly leaves him on the bench, despite the team's dominance, the 22‑year‑old has not earned a minute in recent matches.
Limited opportunities under Flick
Balde was again omitted from the squad for the Saturday 3‑0 win over Getafe, a match that could have offered the homegrown defender a realistic chance after the international break. Even though Flick rotated several players who remained in Barcelona – Joan Garcia, Gerard Martin, Gavi and Gabriel Jesus – the left‑back stayed on the bench.
Xavi Espart, returning from Spain’s Under‑21 side, started the Getafe game, and Joao Cancelo continued his impressive form, further entrenching themselves ahead of the 22‑year‑old. The emergence of both has made Balde’s path to regular minutes even steeper.
His only appearance this season came as a 12‑minute cameo against Racing Santander, a match Barcelona had already secured. Espart and Cancelo now comfortably occupy the left‑back hierarchy, leaving Balde with an uphill battle for game time.
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Future hinges on January
During the summer, Flick told Alejandro that his standing in the squad had changed and that regular minutes were no longer guaranteed. The coach also left him out of the squad for the Elche fixture, giving the defender time to consider his options.
Balde ultimately chose to stay at Barça, hoping to persuade Flick, but the first eight games have offered no sign of a turnaround. The club must handle the situation very carefully, as the young full‑back’s development hangs in the balance.
When granted freedom to overlap, Balde has demonstrated the qualities of an outstanding attacking full‑back. However, inconsistency and an inability to improve have been cited as key reasons for his loss of prominence.
Once hailed alongside Nuno Mendes as one of the world’s best young left‑backs, his career now appears stalled. The January transfer window provides an opportunity to find a solution, but it remains to be seen how Flick will allocate his minutes in the coming weeks.