FC Barcelona has officially announced its squad for the upcoming match against Deportivo Alavés, scheduled for this afternoon. A significant highlight of the list is the return of experienced centre-back Inigo Martinez, who has fully recovered from a torn femoral biceps in his right leg. This injury, sustained during the Spanish Super Cup final on January 12th, initially expected to keep him out for about four weeks, has seen him make a surprising and swift recovery, allowing him to rejoin the squad ahead of schedule.
Before his injury, Martinez was a crucial member of the team’s defense, featuring in 27 matches this season. After being discharged earlier today, he is poised to contribute as Barcelona looks to secure a positive result.
On the flip side, the team will have to cope without four key players. Manager Hansi Flick will be missing Marc Bernal, Marc-André ter Stegen, Dani Olmo, and Andreas Christensen due to injuries. Notably, Olmo has been dealing with an overload in his soleus muscle and did not train with the squad this week, confirming his absence for today’s match.
As Barcelona prepares for this important clash at Montjuic, Flick’s squad will need to rally around the fit players available to ensure a successful outing against Alavés.
The complete list of players selected for the match includes: Wojciech Szczesny, Inaki Pena, Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Eric Garcia, Inigo Martinez, Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde, Marc Casado, Frenkie de Jong, Fermin Lopez, Pedri, Gavi, Pablo Torre, Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, Pau Victor, Ansu Fati, Diego Kochen, Gerard Martin, and Hector Fort.
This match presents a valuable opportunity for the squad to demonstrate their depth and resilience in overcoming adversities due to injuries. With the return of Martinez, there is hope for a strong defensive performance that could help Barcelona achieve a favorable result.