Alejandro Balde: From Rising Star to Forgotten Option at Barcelona

Alejandro Balde is discovering just how quickly life at Barcelona can turn.

A year ago, he was the future of the left flank. Now, he has not played a single minute this season and finds himself staring at a wall he cannot yet break through.

From rising starter to forgotten option

Hansi Flick has made his choice clear. According to Sport, the coach has placed his trust on the left side of defence in Gerard Martín and João Cancelo, leaving Balde marooned in a no-man’s land between the first team and the bench.

This is not just a slow start. It is a brutal reset.

Barcelona had already sent a signal in the summer. After an injury-hit campaign in which Balde missed 10 matches due to physical problems, the club put his name on the market. Manchester United came knocking late in the window, exploring a move, but talks between the clubs never reached a financial agreement.

The player’s stance did not move an inch. With a contract running until 2028 and a release clause set at one billion euros, Balde had no intention of walking away from Barcelona.

Flick’s verdict: not focused enough

The new season has only hardened the lines. Flick did not just bench him for the opening La Liga game against Elche. He left him out of the squad entirely, judging him, in the coach’s view, not focused enough to be involved.

Since then, the hierarchy has stayed the same. Gerard Martín and João Cancelo are ahead of him at left-back. Balde is on the outside looking in.

The numbers are stark. He has yet to pull on the shirt this season. Among outfield players who are fit, only he and Bryan Fariñas have not played a single minute. The two reserve goalkeepers, Ljubičić and Szczęsny, are also still waiting, while Frenkie de Jong and Bardají remain sidelined with long-term injuries.

For a 22-year-old who was being billed as a long-term pillar of the side, the contrast is jarring.

Deco’s message: compete or be left behind

Inside the club, the message is firm but not fatalistic. Sporting director Deco addressed Balde’s situation on RAC1, cutting through the noise.

“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.”

He did not hide the context either.

“Balde suffered injuries, but he was outstanding two years ago. If Balde is in good shape, it is difficult for him not to play with Barcelona.”

The praise comes with a challenge. The door is not closed, but no one at the club is promising him anything.

A sharp drop from last season

The speed of the fall is what stings most. In the 2025-2026 season, Balde opened the campaign as a starter, beginning each of the first three La Liga matches and logging 222 minutes in that early stretch.

Back then, staying on the bench for an entire match was the exception. Flick only left him unused five times across the season. Already this term, with September barely underway, Balde has been overlooked for full matches even more often.

Same player. Same club. Completely different reality.

Now the question hangs over him and over Barcelona: is this just a harsh phase in a young defender’s development, or the start of a long, uneasy standstill for one of the club’s brightest homegrown talents?