Hansi Flick sends strong message to Barcelona defender with squad decision | OneFootball

The day almost every FC Barcelona fan was eagerly awaiting has finally arrived as FC Barcelona are set to start their 2026-27 season with a significantly changed team. These fans will finally get to see their team in competitive action after the long summer break.

The Catalans have already published their squad for this first game of the new season, and there have been some notable omissions from the list. The most prominent of these is Alejandro Balde, who continues to lose place in Hansi Flick’s plans.

According to Mundo Deportivo, his absence from the list is not because of the player’s request, but is a tactical decision from Flick himself. Only yesterday, the German coach had made it clear in his press conference that the fullback’s future at the club was not very certain, and that Balde will have to work hard to regain his place in the team, and this exclusion from the squad list further points to the fact that the Blaugrana coach does not see Balde as an important part of his plans.

For his part, the Spaniard was reported to be willing to do his share of the work to regain a place in the starting eleven. However, this was always going to be a tall order with the permanent signing of Joao Cancelo, who was able to completely convince Flick with his performances in the second half of the last season.

Now, his exclusion from the list makes it even more obvious how difficult the situation is for him at Barcelona. However, there are other clubs across Europe who value the defender more highly. He has already been approached by the Premier League giants Manchester United, while he has also been linked with Aston Villa and Benfica.