Barcelona manager Hansi Flick could once again turn to Frenkie de Jong and Brian Farinas in unfamiliar defensive roles when the Catalans host Aston Villa in the Champions League on Tuesday, November 3.
According to a report from AS , the German coach is considering retaining the makeshift defensive combination after it helped Barcelona secure a 6-1 victory over Alaves at Camp Nou .
Flick's decision against Alaves was dictated by an injury crisis that has left Barcelona short of defensive options.
On that note, the likes of Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia and Andreas Christensen were unavailable, while Xavi Espart was also among the absentees.
With limited alternatives, the manager deployed De Jong at left centre-back and handed Farinas his first-team debut at right-back, despite the youngster being a midfielder by trade.
The situation has forced Flick to experiment with the available options as he attempts to maintain defensive stability during an important period of the season.
Frenkie de Jong played as a centre-back against Alaves. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
De Jong's technical quality makes him a useful option when Barcelona need to build attacks from the back, although playing regularly as a centre-back would be a significant change to his responsibilities.
Farinas, meanwhile, has an opportunity to demonstrate his versatility after being trusted with an unexpected first-team assignment.
Barcelona's 6-1 victory over Alaves offered encouragement, but the result does not necessarily mean the experimental defensive partnership has resolved the team's underlying problems.
In fact, the expectation is that the challenge against Aston Villa will provide a different level of examination.
Farinas' involvement is particularly interesting because competition for midfield places at Barcelona is already intense.
On that note, De Jong, Pedri, Gavi, Marc Bernal and Rodri are among the options ahead of him, while Espart can also operate in midfield.
Brian Farinas made his Barcelona debut as a right-back. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Consequently, the youngster's route into the senior side could be strengthened through his ability to cover multiple positions.
Flick appears to value that flexibility, and the Alaves appearance provided an opportunity to assess him at a higher level.
The upcoming Champions League fixture will be a more demanding examination of Barcelona's defensive improvisation.
As such, Aston Villa will arrive at Camp Nou with the opportunity to test a backline that has been assembled largely because of injuries rather than tactical preference.
Hence, Flick will have to decide whether to retain the combination that worked against Alaves or introduce changes to provide greater defensive balance.
Simply put, De Jong's composure in possession and Farinas' adaptability offer interesting alternatives, but their suitability against stronger opposition remains to be established.
