18-year-old Barcelona right-back delivers a solid performance against Rayo Vallecano – Report | OneFootball

This season has been one where FC Barcelona is having to compete across various competitions. For the Catalan giants, all of them are a priority and must be treated with the respect any top competition deserves. To juggle them, however, Barcelona has had to rely on rotations as well.

While there are some key players in the team who are always ready to make an impact, they have to be given rest as well from time to time. In their place, the alternatives at Barcelona this season have also showcased just how impressive they can be.

Even without the likes of Gavi or Dani Olmo to start as the team’s primary attacking midfielder, the likes of Fermin Lopez have stepped up and delivered some big performances. Similarly, even French defender Jules Kounde has a reliable alternative in the form of Hector Fort.

As highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, the Spaniard delivered a solid performance against Rayo Vallecano in his recent appearance. The game ultimately ended 1-0 in favor of the Catalan giants, and enabled the team to return to the top of the La Liga table.

For the 18-year-old Spanish right-back, however, this was an opportunity that he simply could not waste. Ahead of the game itself, Kounde’s starting place was jeopardized due to the Frenchman arriving late to a technical team meeting and it resulted in him getting punished.

In his absence, Fort took over and featured in just his third start this season. During this game, he played a total of 66 minutes and did a lot of good things as well. He completed 25 successful passes, made two recoveries, and also made two interceptions during his time on the field.

The Spaniard also gave a smart back-heel pass to fellow La Masia talent Lamine Yamal, but the latter failed to covert the chance created for him. With 13 matches now played in total this season, Fort definitely seems to be a profile that can help Barcelona out from time to time if Kounde needs a rest or if Flick simply wants to make a change for any reason.