Barcelona defender has been playing with constant discomfort this season, not at 100%

Andreas Christensen has been pretty much a permanent fixture in the Barcelona defence when fit and available since arriving last summer.

The 27-year-old Danish international was an integral part of the team that won the La Liga title last season, forming a solid defensive partnership alongside Ronald Araujo.

Things, though, have not gone the same way for the former Chelsea defender in the current campaign.

Even though he has been a regular in the side, Christensen’s performances have not been at the same level as last season.

Struggling with discomfort

Now, Jordi Gil of SPORT has shed light on the situation troubling Andreas Christensen, reporting that the Barcelona defender has been dealing with constant discomfort since the start of the season.

The Dane has featured in 12 of Barcelona’s 15 official matches this term, but completed only five of those across all competitions.

This is because of the discomfort in the Achilles tendon that has not completely subsided, leading to him being in pain and not being able to perform at his 100%.

The discomfort dates back to the pre-season tour of the USA in the summer when he suffered an issue with his Achilles tendon, which has continued to bother him so far this campaign, as a result of which he is not performing at his fullest.

Risk of losing his spot

With Jules Kounde and Ronald Araujo excelling, and Inigo Martinez also performing well, Christensen is at the risk of dropping down the pecking order at Barcelona.

This past weekend against Real Sociedad, the ex-Chelsea ace was benched in favour of Martinez by Xavi.

However, the report adds that Christensen still feels the full trust and backing of the manager despite his physical issues.

The defender is working to improve his condition and soon return to 100% levels, while he has not let the issues affect his confidence either.

Christensen is happy at Barcelona and has formed a good bond with some of the players like Frenkie de Jong, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and Sergi Roberto.

There is no doubt about his future and he is not planning on listening on any offers at this point. The only focus is to return to his peak fitness levels and re-establish himself as a starter.