German coach Hans Flick faces a new challenge in defense ahead of the match against Valencia, which is Barcelona's first home game of the season. He must decide whether to restore confidence to the central defensive duo Ronald Araujo and Pau Koubarsi, who sat on the bench during the match against Rayo Vallecano, or to continue relying on Eric Garcia and Andreas Christensen after their recent strong performances.

Flick started the season with a clear defensive plan, with Garcia on the right, Araujo and Koubarsi in central defense, and Balde on the left. However, this combination faced clear issues in the match against Levante, where there was a lack of harmony between Araujo and Koubarsi in the offside line, which led to two goals conceded in the first half before the team managed to come back and win 3-2.

In the following match against Rayo Vallecano, Flick made noticeable changes, with Garcia and Christensen participating in central defense, while Koundé played on the right, and Balde continued on the left. Garcia and Christensen delivered a convincing performance, opening the door for the possibility of repeating the same lineup against Valencia.

Christensen used the international break to continue regaining his form, playing 90 minutes in matches against Scotland and Greece, scoring a stunning goal in the second match, which restored his confidence after fully recovering from an Achilles tendon injury he suffered last season.

On the other hand, Araujo showed impressive form with the Uruguay national team against Chile, and Koubarsi performed well in the second half of Spain's match against Bulgaria. This presents Flick with a positive problem, as all four defenders are in full readiness.

As the match against Valencia in La Liga approaches and the clash against Newcastle in the Champions League next week looms, Flick begins to consider rotation. However, the defense remains one of the sensitive positions that are rarely changed easily. Last season, Koubarsi and Inigo Martinez were the standout duo in central defense, but Martinez's departure to Saudi Arabia posed a new challenge for the coach.

German coach Hans Flick now has balanced options, and he will have to determine whether to grant clemency to Araujo and Koubarsi or continue relying on Garcia and Christensen, who have recently impressed.