Hansi Flick is rethinking his defense for Saturday’s match against Alavés, and Brian Fariñas has moved into the conversation. With four defenders unavailable, the Barcelona coach said the midfielder from Benicarló could even make his debut while the back line is reshaped around the absences.
That is why Brian Fariñas is being searched now: Flick did not frame him as an emergency name, but as a player who has earned consideration. He said Fariñas is very intelligent, has trained with the first team since the start of the season and does a fantastic job every day, adding that he deserves to play now.
The potential change is tied to the numbers as much as the praise. Barcelona will be without Christensen, Eric García, Koundé and Xavi Espart, and that shortage is forcing Flick to look for solutions rather than stick to a familiar defensive setup. In the plan being considered, Fariñas would start at right back, with Pau Cubarsí and Gerard Martín in central defense and Joao Cancelo on the left.
What makes the call more striking is the contrast inside the same squad. Flick said Alejandro Balde lacks the confidence and conviction he needs in his game, and he does not plan to use him at left back despite Balde having already played 88 minutes in three matches this season. Barcelona is short of defenders, yet the coach still appears more willing to turn to a midfielder than to trust a specialist he says is not ready.
Fariñas has already had a brief taste of the role. In preseason, he played one match at right back, a detail that now matters because Barcelona needs options before Saturday. Flick has not formally confirmed the lineup, but his comments point to a real chance that the teenager gets his first senior opportunity when Barcelona face Alavés at Spotify Camp Nou.
For now, the question is not whether Barcelona needs help in defense. It does. The question is whether Flick follows through on the opening he has created for Fariñas, or changes his mind again before kickoff.
