Barcelona have been dealt a significant setback ahead of their highly anticipated Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid, as first-team left-back Alejandro Balde has been ruled out due to injury.
The final, scheduled for Saturday, April 26 at La Cartuja Stadium, is one of the season’s biggest fixtures, but reports confirm Balde will not feature after suffering a distal hamstring injury. According to journalist José Álvarez, the recovery timeline is estimated at 15 to 20 days, making it virtually impossible for him to recover in time.
To make matters worse for manager Hansi Flick, Balde is also expected to miss Barcelona’s Champions League semi-final clash with Inter Milan, another high-stakes encounter that could define the season. The German coach had relied heavily on Balde, who has made 43 appearances this season, contributing 1 goal and 10 assists.
In his absence, Flick is expected to continue with Gerard Martin, though there are internal concerns about whether the backup can handle the pressure in such critical matches. Sources suggest that Flick fears Martin’s inexperience could potentially derail the team’s ambitions across both competitions.
As the season reaches its climax, the timing of Balde’s injury couldn’t be worse, leaving Barcelona scrambling to adjust their defensive setup in hopes of salvaging their silverware hopes.
