Barcelona manager Hansi Flick says the club must improve defensively and reduce their turnovers when they face Deportivo Alaves in La Liga on Saturday, while confirming that Frenkie de Jong could be used as a centre-back.
The match, scheduled for 31 October 2026, comes after Barcelona suffered two defeats. Flick said the team had trained well during the week but needed to provide the right response against an Alaves side he expects to defend effectively.
Barcelona are short of options in central defence, with Flick saying only Gerard and Cubarsi are currently available in that position.
“We have to deal with these circumstances because we have only two centre-backs, Gerard and Cubarsi,” he said. “It is important to find an alternative solution, and that is what we are trying to do. Frenkie can also play in this position.”
Flick also suggested that Alejandro Balde may need time to regain his confidence and return to his usual level.
“Perhaps Balde does not currently have the confidence he needs to produce his normal performance and carry out the style of play we use,” Flick said. “He needs to recover that confidence.”
The Barcelona manager believes De Jong remains a key player for the team, both with and without the ball.
“For me, Frenkie is an extremely important player,” he said. “When he is fully fit, he is an amazing player. He has tremendous quality in his use of the ball and also helps us a lot defensively when he has the right mentality. He is a great player for me and raises the level of the team.”
Flick also identified Farinias as a possible option at full-back. The player has trained with the first team since pre-season and could be given an opportunity.
“He could be one of the options to play in that position,” Flick said. “He is a very intelligent player, has trained with us since the beginning of the season and is doing a great job. He really deserves the chance to play.”
The German stressed that Barcelona must keep possession for longer and avoid repeating the mistakes made in El Clasico.
“I want the team to control the match, reduce the loss of possession that happened in El Clasico and keep the ball for longer periods,” he said. “That is the key. When you control the game, you can decide how to move the ball and impose more control on the opponent.
“It is important not to lose the ball, otherwise we have to run to win it back. We need to improve these aspects, and Rodri is right about that.”
Flick said Tonkara, who has increasingly featured around the first team, had impressed him during pre-season and in limited minutes for Barcelona Athletic.
“He played a few minutes for Barcelona Athletic and spent pre-season with us,” Flick said. “I liked very much what I saw from him. Anything is possible.”
After a positive week of training, Flick said Barcelona trusted their ability despite the recent defeats.
“It has been a good week,” he said. “We do not know what will happen in the next matches, but everyone must focus on tomorrow. We want to show the right reaction, and that is what I expect from the team. We have suffered two defeats, but the team is playing good football. We trust our strength and quality.”
