German coach Hans Flick is close to finalizing his decision regarding a replacement for the injured left-back Alejandro Balde, in the upcoming Barcelona match against Valencia in La Liga on September 14. Reports indicate that the duo Gerard Martin and Joufr Torinets are the most likely candidates to fill the gap, as they have Flick's full confidence.

The German coach believes that the players are capable of performing this role effectively, and he is even considering using Gerard Martin as a left center-back in case of emergency, while assigning Torinets the role of left-back.

Barcelona successfully registered Martin in the La Liga roster before the match against Rayo Vallecano, after loaning goalkeeper Inaki Pena to Elche and selling defender Jan Vergili to Real Mallorca. Martin has already participated in the match against Rayo, where he played 12 minutes as a substitute for Balde.

Gerard Martin, who is 23 years old, stood out last season with the first team, participating in important matches such as the Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan, where he provided two assists. The departure of defender Inigo Martinez gives Martin a greater opportunity to shine in the back line.

As for Joufr Torinets, who is 18 years old, he has impressed the coaching staff since the first day of summer preparations, and he is considered one of the top talents from the La Masia academy. Flick gave him his official debut in the first round of La Liga against Mallorca, where he played for about 20 minutes.

The German coach also sees Torinets as a backup option to fill the left center-back position if needed.