Álvaro Cortés is set to make his first start for FC Barcelona against Alavés at Mendizorroza, a clear sign that Hansi Flick is ready to lean on younger players in the season’s final stretch. SPORT reported that Cortés, who has spent much of the second half of the campaign in matchday squads without playing an official minute, is expected to be in the lineup for the trip on Sunday.
The move comes four days after Barcelona lifted the trophy at the Spotify Camp Nou by winning the Clásico, a result that had already sealed the title. Even with the championship decided, Flick is still pushing for a strong finish and wants his side to reach 100 points, a target that gives the final league matches a sharper edge than a simple title lap might suggest.
Cortés has earned the chance by staying close to the first team while also leading Barça Atlètic as captain this season. He has scored three goals in that campaign, and his progression has kept him in Flick’s thinking as the coach looks to distribute minutes across the squad. For a player who has been named in many matchday squads since the winter but never actually stepped onto the pitch in an official game, the chance in Mendizorroza would mark a genuine step forward.
Flick’s decision is also tied to the structure at the back. His idea was to rest the Cubarsí-Gerard Martín pairing, opening the door for two players in a match that Barcelona are approaching from a position of strength. That is the contrast at the heart of alavés vs barcelona: one side is managing a title-winning squad with an eye on development, while the other is fighting for survival and badly needs points.
Alavés are in a relegation place and need to beat the champions to stay in contention, which gives the match an urgency that Barcelona no longer carry in the table. The home side cannot afford another setback, while Barcelona can use the game to test depth and keep younger players moving in a decisive part of the season. If Cortés starts as expected, it will be the kind of opportunity Flick has been promising since the title was secured — and one the club can justify as both a reward and a rehearsal for the future.
