Alejandro Balde returned to action yesterday afternoon in Barcelona B’s match with Real Betis B.
It’s the first time the 18-year-old left back has played football since he picked up an injury at the beginning of February. He played a few minutes as a left-winger.
His return is timely according to Diario Sport as Sergino Dest’s injury means that Xavi Hernandez only has Oscar Mingueza, a centre-back, to deputise for Jordi Alba in the first-team.
Balde was expected to step up this year but injuries have derailed his progress; he’s played four La Liga games and two Champions League games with the first team, eight for Barcelona B.
Barcelona tried to sign Nicolas Tagliafico from Ajax during the January transfer window only for the deal to eventually fall through.
So Balde, who joined Barcelona in 2011 from Espanyol and has a contract that runs until the summer of 2024, has between now and the end of the season to stake his first-team claim.
Otherwise, Barcelona will have to go to the market; Jose Gaya and Alejandro Grimaldo have been linked with moves.
