FC Barcelona had been cruising through their early-season games. At one point, the Catalan club were on an 11-game winning streak, looking better than ever. But that was before Barca travelled to Paris to take on PSG in a crucial Champions League fixture. The stage was set for the Spanish club to make a statement on the European stage, but what unfolded was sheer domination by the back-to-back Champions League winners.
PSG defeated FC Barcelona 4-2 in a game that left Barca exposed in multiple ways. While the scoreline itself says a lot about the game, the defensive struggles were more profound. Joao Cancelo was the senior-most defender in Barca’s back line for the game. In this crucial game, the Portuguese player needed to step up his game.
As the game tipped off, Cancelo was left absolutely exposed in the left wing-back position as Desire Doue consistently beat him in transition. Injuries to Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen, and Eric Garcia depleted the team’s defensive depth. It forced Hansi Flick to field Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, and Xavi Espart together in an inexperienced formation, and it didn’t work at the Parc des Princes.
This thrashing in the Champions League has now reportedly reset Barca’s plans for the winter transfer window. According to Diario Sport, Hansi Flick is looking to explore options to land a top centre-back in January after deviating from the plans in the summer transfer window. Barcelona were rumoured to be interested in players like Alessandro Bastoni last summer, as per Barca Universal.
The Catalan club didn’t make an official move as they emphasised signing more attackers like Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi. Barca’s signings boosted their attacking front exponentially, but it came at a major cost as well. With Ronald Araujo sent on loan, the defensive depth was already walking on a fine line, and glimpses of it showed during the La Liga games, where they gave away loose goals at times. For context, Barca had given away 11 goals before taking on PSG.
Now, with injuries to Christensen, Garcia, and Kounde, Barcelona just don’t have enough resources to field a strong back line. On top of that, Alejandro Balde hasn’t found his rhythm at all in the last few months, and Flick definitely isn’t showing much confidence in him,
This precarious situation has made center-back signing a priority in the winter transfer window, or at least by next summer. Flick and Barca have always showcased an interest in Bastoni, and honestly speaking, it would be kind of a marquee defensive signing as well.
A proactive central defender, Bastoni is honed with playmaking capabilities and tactical versatility. The Inter Milan defender is efficient in aerial duels and pressing to dismantle opposing players. Bastoni’s experience with Cubarsi’s flamboyance would be a great fit for Barcelona. The major issue with this signing is the price tag that comes with it.
According to LiveScore, Inter reportedly values Bastoni at around 70M Pounds, which is a huge amount for Barca at this amount, considering they already signed Gordon, Adeyemi in the summer transfer window. The situation is mostly dependent on the fiscal leverage that Barca can take. To sign Bastoni and spend the big bucks, the Catalan club will have to sell some players. In any other case, they will have to hope that Christensen, Kounde, and Garcia return to full fitness.
With the winter transfer window just a few months away, all eyes will be on Barca to make some moves regarding their defense, because without a strong defensive lineup, the Catalan club will struggle massively against top teams like the one they did against PSG.
