Xavi Welcomes Reinforcements: Marcos Alonso Nears Return to Bolster Barça’s Defensive Woes

Xavi continues to regain key players just on the eve of facing the Champions League Round of 16 against Napoli. The coach observes another of his prominent players, who has been sidelined in recent weeks, nearing the end of the recovery phase. Another option to try to alleviate the significant defensive challenges plaguing Barcelona.

At the beginning of the year, Marcos Alonso traveled to France and underwent surgery to address his recurring muscular issues in the lumbar area. A forced hiatus kept him away from the pitch at a critical moment for the team, especially after Alejandro Balde also suffered an injury, leaving the left flank bereft of first-team players.

Marcos Alonso’s recovery has reached its final stages. For several days now, he has been training with the first team at a normal pace, and the physical response has been more than satisfactory—no trace of the problems that plagued him before his intervention.

Return to Competition: The next step is for Xavi Hernández to decide. The coach continues to devise various formulas to solve the issues on the left flank. Héctor Fort and Joao Cancelo have become emergency resources to navigate through the challenges, although the defensive struggles have been a constant in recent weeks. The remaining question is when the coach will deem Marcos Alonso ready to be included in the squad list and begin regaining match fitness.

Just a couple of weeks ago, it was assumed that Marcos Alonso would not be available for the Napoli tie. Now, everything is feasible: the defender has successfully overcome his physical issues and only lacks competitive rhythm.