A depleted back line
Barcelona go into their home game against Alavés on 31 October with a thin defence. According to [1], Hansi Flick has confirmed that four defenders are unavailable: Jules Koundé, Eric García, Andreas Christensen and Xavi Espart. The report lists each of them as out, so Flick has little room to rotate at the back.
The timing makes this harder. The side has just lost twice in a week, 2-4 away at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and 1-2 at home to Real Madrid in the Clásico. Nine goals conceded across the last five matches is a notable change for a team that had otherwise been defending well in the league. Koundé’s absence matters most, as the right-back slot is the one with no obvious senior cover in the information available.
None of the sources gives a timeline for any return, and we will not guess at one. The facts say only that all four are out for this fixture. Flick has to build a defence from what is left, and the question is who fills the vacant spots.
Fariñas and the right-back question
The most striking line from Flick’s briefing is about Brian Fariñas. [1] reports that the young player could make his first-team debut at right-back against Alavés. Flick said Fariñas deserves to play now. The same report notes that the position is one he played in pre-season, so it is not wholly new to him, though it is not where he is usually used.
The status is doubtful rather than confirmed. Flick is considering the option, not announcing it, and the starting line-up will settle the matter. A debut in this setting carries both opportunity and risk. Fariñas would face a home crowd that has just watched two defeats, and he would be asked to cover a role normally held by one of the team’s most trusted defenders.
The coach’s public backing is itself informative. Flick framed the selection as merit rather than emergency, saying the youngster has earned his chance. Whether he starts or not, the message to the squad is that the injury list will not stop him from trusting academy players. For a team under some pressure after the Clásico, that is a clear choice.
The Clásico hangover and the Alavés test
The Real Madrid defeat is still shaping the conversation. A [2] feature on José Mourinho’s career used Real’s 2-1 win as its main example. It notes that Vinicius Jr was suspended for that match, and describes Real’s 4-4-2 shape and their man-marking of Pedri. The piece is mostly analysis of Mourinho’s broader philosophy, but the description of Pedri being closely tracked shows how opponents may try to disrupt Barcelona’s midfield.
Alavés bring their own story. A [3] feature recalls that Ville Koski’s performance against Barcelona last season changed his role at the club. Under Quique Sánchez Flores he has started 12 of the last 13 matches, and Alavés have since exercised the purchase option on his loan. The article is retrospective and gives no team news for this game, so it says nothing about how Alavés will line up.
What it does show is a visiting side with a settled midfield and a player who has history against Barcelona. Against a back line missing four players, that is worth noting, though we should not claim more than the sources support.
What it means
Barcelona still sit first in La Liga with 27 points from 10 games, built on nine wins and one defeat, with 40 goals scored and 11 conceded. That record gives them a cushion. The Clásico loss was their only league defeat, and the league table has not yet reflected the recent dip in form.
The form line tells a more mixed story. Before the last two losses they beat Getafe 3-0, Galatasaray 4-1 and Real Betis 5-2, scoring 12 in three games. Then came the PSG and Madrid defeats, in which they conceded six. The attack is clearly working; the pressure point is the back line, and it is now short of four players.
So the Alavés match asks a specific question: can a patched-up defence, possibly with a debutant at right-back, hold up while the forwards keep scoring? The site’s forecast for this fixture locks 24 hours before kick-off, so no prediction is stated here. The numbers suggest Barcelona’s league position is secure for now, but another slip would turn a two-game wobble into a pattern.
