5 Key Moments in Alejandro Balde's Crisis with Barcelona

Alejandro Balde's crisis with Barcelona has escalated in recent days, as the left-back was left out of the squad for the match against Elche, amid the possibility of his departure from the club during the current summer transfer window.

Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo" detailed what it described as five consecutive chapters that began on Thursday, when player agent Jorge Mendes arrived in Barcelona for the presentation of Joao Cancelo, before meeting with Deco to discuss the future of Marc Casado, Gil Fernandez, and Balde.

The day after, Hans Flick surprised everyone during the press conference by opening the door for the departures of Jules Koundé and Balde, confirming that he had spoken clearly with the players. He emphasized the need to wait until the transfer market closes.

The third act came on Sunday morning when Balde was missing from Barcelona's squad against Elche, while Joao Cancelo and Busquets were included in the lineup. Xavi Espart then took the left-back position during the match and delivered an impressive performance.

Before the match, Flick spoke about Balde, stating that he talked to him in the morning and informed him that he feels he is not fully focused. He urged him to sort out his thoughts before speaking again. The Spanish newspaper sees this statement as surprising, given that Flick has spent the last two years insisting that he does not disclose details of his private conversations with players.

Following the 5-0 victory over Elche, Flick spoke about Balde, clarifying that he is not asking him to leave Barcelona, but rather informed him that he feels he is not fully focused. He urged him to organize his thoughts, noting that the player agreed with him on this.

The source indicated that the coach's handling of the situation could drive the player towards leaving, emphasizing that the player did not expect such public treatment. Meanwhile, several of his teammates expressed their astonishment at Flick's stance without intervening to defend him.