Barcelona’s 19-year-old January arrival trains with first team after injury blows

FC Barcelona were dealt multiple injury blows during last night’s Copa del Rey clash against Atletico Madrid at the Spotify Camp Nou.

Manager Hansi Flick lost both his full-backs, Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde, to hamstring injuries during the game against Los Rojiblancos, which his team won 3-0.

As confirmed by the club, Balde is set to be out for four weeks, while Kounde, too, could be staring at a similar period on the sidelines, even though the Blaugrana did not provide an official timeline for his recovery.

As reported already, Xavi Espart, the 18-year-old La Masia right-back currently a part of the Barça Atletic squad, trained with the first-team squad today.

Patricio Pacifico also trains under Flick

Now, according to journalist Sergi Capdevila, Patricio Pacifico was also called up to train with the senior setup by Barcelona manager Flick today.

Pacifico, 19, joined Barça only in the January transfer window, arriving on a loan deal from Uruguayan club Defensor Sporting. The deal runs until the end of the season, with the Catalans retaining an option to make the signing permanent.

Patricio Pacifico trained with the first team today. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website)

The South American teenager is a left-back capable of playing as a left-sided centre-back as well. Having arrived with some discomfort, he has yet to make his debut for Barça Atletic under Juliano Belletti.

Despite that, Flick decided to call Pacifico up to train with the first-team squad today in the absence of Balde.

Jofre Torrents, who has been regularly in the first-team dynamics this season, would have been called up in the current circumstances. However, the teenage La Masia prospect is out with an injury himself, opening the doors for Pacifico.

Whether it materialises into a call-up to the squad for the weekend La Liga clash against Athletic Club remains to be seen.

But Pacifico will relish his chance of working under Flick’s tutelage this early into his stint at the Catalan club.