Barcelona absences force Flick to rearrange his defence against Paris

Hans Flick, the head coach of FC Barcelona, is facing a crisis in the backline ahead of the match against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday in the UEFA Champions League, with three defenders absent and the possibility of using Rodri in central defense.

According to "Mundo Deportivo", Eric Garcia, Jules Koundé, and Andreas Christensen will not be able to participate in the match, leaving Pau Cubarsí as the only fully fit centre-back. Meanwhile, the coaching staff hopes for the recovery of Gerard Martin, who finished the last match with a swollen foot.

In the full-back position, the options also seem limited, with João Cancelo likely to participate on the left flank and Espart on the right, as Baldé has been sidelined from Flick's plans this season, having only played 12 minutes against Racing.

The newspaper added that Flick may turn to Rodri in central defense if Gerard Martin is not fully fit, after the midfielder finished the match against Real Betis and FC Barcelona in that position alongside Cubarsí, following the injury to Erik Garcia. Luis Enrique had previously deployed Rodri in this position during the FIFA World Cup 2022.

If Rodri is relied upon defensively, Marc Bernal and Gavi may get the chance to play alongside Pedri in central midfield, especially since Frenkie de Jong has not returned to participate against Sevilla after being absent for nearly four months.