Alejandro Balde's Struggles at Barcelona: From Star to Bench
Alejandro Balde is discovering just how quickly the ground can shift beneath a young footballer at Barcelona.
A year ago, he was the future of the left flank. Now, he has not played a single minute this season.
From rising starter to unused option
Hansi Flick has drawn a clear line in the sand. At left-back, the Barcelona coach has chosen Gerard Martín and João Cancelo, leaving Balde parked in an uncomfortable limbo. Not injured, not out of the squad entirely, but out of the picture.
This is not a sudden twist. Barcelona had already floated Balde on the summer transfer market after a difficult, injury-hit campaign in which he missed 10 matches through physical problems. The club listened to offers. One of them came from Manchester United, who pushed late in the window. Talks advanced, but the two clubs never found common ground on the fee.
Balde’s stance was firm. With a contract running until 2028 and a release clause set at one billion euros, he had no intention of walking away from Barcelona.
Flick’s verdict: not focused enough
The new season has only underlined how steep his climb has become. Flick left Balde out of the squad entirely for the opening La Liga match against Elche, judging the full-back not sufficiently focused. From there, the hierarchy at left-back hardened quickly: Gerard Martín first, João Cancelo next, Balde a distant third.
The consequence is stark. Balde has not pulled on the shirt once this season. Among outfield players who are fully fit, only he and Bryan Fariñas have yet to feature. The two reserve goalkeepers, Ljubičić and Szczęsny, also remain unused, while Frenkie de Jong and Bardají are sidelined with long-term injuries.
For a 22-year-old who was being talked about as a long-term pillar of the team, the silence on the pitch is deafening.
Deco backs the talent, but demands a response
Inside the club, the message is measured but firm. Sporting director Deco addressed Balde’s situation on RAC1, keen to cool any talk of a rupture.
“Nothing has happened, he is our player,” Deco 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.”
The support came with a reminder of the standards expected.
“Balde suffered injuries, but he was outstanding two years ago,” Deco added. “If Balde is in good shape, it is difficult for him not to play with Barcelona.”
The subtext is clear: the door is not closed, but he will have to force it open again.
A sharp contrast to last season
The contrast with his status a year ago could hardly be sharper. In the 2025–2026 season, Balde began as a regular, starting the first three La Liga matches and racking up 222 minutes in that early stretch. Over the course of the campaign, Flick left him on the bench without playing time on just five occasions.
Now, with September barely underway, he has already been unused more times than that.
For a player once fast-tracked into the first team and hailed as one of La Masia’s latest success stories, the question is no longer about potential. It is about whether he can claw his way back into a Barcelona side that has learned to live without him.
