Barcelona to field a new-look defence in derby against Espanyol | OneFootball

Barcelona head into their crucial clash against Espanyol, a fixture that could make them the La Liga winners, facing an unwanted challenge in defence.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the suspension of Inigo Martinez will force manager Hansi Flick to rethink his backline entirely, just as the team enters one of its most delicate phases of the season defensively.

Martinez, a key figure in Flick’s defensive system and one of the team’s vocal leaders at the back, is suspended after picking up another yellow card during the heated Clasico against Real Madrid.

His absence comes at a time when Barcelona’s defence has shown signs of vulnerability, conceding more goals than Flick would have liked during the business end of the campaign.

What does it mean for Barcelona?

With Inigo out, Flick will have to improvise, and that likely means turning to a makeshift defensive line. Eric Garcia is expected to continue at right-back, having stepped into that role regularly since Jules Kounde’s injury.

Inigo Martinez will be suspended for the Espanyol clash. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

On the opposite flank, Alejandro Balde is now a candidate to replace Gerard Martin at left-back.

Balde has only recently returned from injury, and while Flick prefers to ease players back gradually, the high stakes of the Espanyol clash might tempt him to start the young full-back.

At the heart of defence, Pau Cubarsi is almost certain to start, having proven himself a reliable presence since breaking into the first team.

The big question revolves around who will partner him. Ronald Araujo is a leading option if Flick believes he is match-fit. Otherwise, Andreas Christensen is pushing for more minutes after a strong showing in the final half-hour of the Clásico.

The dilemma for Flick is not just about who to pick, it is about how to maintain balance and chemistry in a defensive unit that has had little time to gel in this particular configuration.