Alejandro Balde is going through a difficult period. The Barcelona full-back has not played a single match for the Catalan side this season.
Sport newspaper report that coach Hansi Flick prefers to rely on Gerard Martín and João Cancelo at left-back, leaving Balde stranded in a thorny grey area.
Barcelona had put Balde on the summer transfer market after a difficult, injury-hit campaign in which he missed 10 matches through physical problems.
Manchester United showed an interest in signing him at the end of the summer window, but the two clubs failed to reach a financial agreement. The player, whose contract runs until 2028 and includes a release clause of one billion euros, had no intention whatsoever of leaving Barcelona.
Flick left Balde out of the squad for the opening La Liga match against Elche, judging him insufficiently focused, and dropped him well down the pecking order behind Gerard Martín and João Cancelo at left-back.
In fact, Balde has yet to pull on the shirt this season. Alongside Bryan Fariñas, he is the only uninjured outfield player who has not featured. The two reserve goalkeepers, Ljubičić and Szczęsny, have also sat out, as have Frenkie de Jong and Bardají, both nursing long-term injuries.
Deco, the Barça sporting director, analysed Balde's situation in an interview on RAC1 radio. "Nothing has happened, he is our player," he said. "He is 22 years old, he has a big future, and a contract with the best club in the world. He has to compete to play."
He went on: "Balde suffered injuries, but he was outstanding two years ago. If Balde is in good shape, it is difficult for him not to play with Barcelona."
Balde's current standing marks a clear break from where he was a year ago. In the 2025-2026 season, the full-back started as a regular in the first three La Liga matches, racking up 222 minutes.
On just five occasions did Flick keep him on the bench for the entire match, one more than the number of times it has happened this season, with September still in its early stages.
You can discuss the topics and news in greater depth in the Kooora forums