Barcelona’s incredible defensive depth following Bellerin-Alonso double swoop

Barcelona were one of the busiest clubs on the deadline day earlier this month, sanctioning the sale of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang while bringing in Marcos Alonso and Hector Bellerin.

They have had no hiccups registering Alonso and Bellerin either, largely thanks to the series of late departures of various star players including Aubameyang, Martin Braithwaite and Samuel Umtiti.

The addition of Alonso and Bellerin have only added to Barcelona’s insane depth in the defensive unit this year, with Xavi now boasting the services of a series of top-quality stars that can significantly improve the overall defensive strength of the team.

Indeed, the club have no less than five options in the centre-back position, led by none other than Gerard Pique. The veteran has had a rough year so far, but his experience and leadership remain invaluable to the Barcelona side.

New signings Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen are also there, bringing grace to the grit of Ronald Araujo, who is considered the future defensive leader for Barça.

In addition, the Catalans have the much-improved Eric Garcia, who recently starred in the 3-0 victory over Sevilla.

From a tactical perspective, the combination of someone like Araujo and Kounde could work well for Barcelona in the long run. But the competition from Christensen, Garcia and Pique could go a long way in helping the first-choice options to strive for the best.

As for the fullback slots, the addition of Bellerin has given Xavi some much-needed experience in the right-back unit. The former Arsenal star has featured in almost 250 competitive matches for the Gunners and is more than familiar with Barça’s style of play.

Bellerin is expected to serve as the main right-back for Barcelona in the new season. But the club also have the option of Sergi Roberto, who has a wealth of experience as well.

Even Kounde and Araujo have both played in the position in the past and are more than capable of serving as backup options, especially in the midst of an injury crisis.

Meanwhile, the left-back unit has excellent depth as well, especially after the capture of Marcos Alonso. The former Chelsea star is set to provide fierce competition for Jordi Alba and Alejandro Balde.

Balde has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence and could become the future first-choice starter for the team. His ascension comes at a time when Alba has found it difficult to find form while Alonso is fairly new to the league, after spending six years at Stamford Bridge.

Whether or not Alonso’s arrival will impact Balde’s recent growth is hard to tell. But Xavi certainly has enough security in both the fullback departments, which is indeed a boon for the Barcelona manager, in his quest to compete for the league title.

However, the presence of so many first-team options may also pose a real challenge for Xavi, especially when it comes to shuffling his pack and keeping his players content throughout the course of the campaign. Whether or not he can cope with that challenge remains to be seen.