Out-of-favour Barcelona veteran confident of getting back into first-team plans

FC Barcelona have had an astounding start to the new season, having racked up 16 points from the first six matches. Had it not been for Real Madrid’s perfect start, the Catalans would have easily led the league table.

However, while the majority of the Barcelona stars have performed well in the new season, there are certain players that are yet to get up and running in the season.

One of them is Jordi Alba, the club’s most experienced left-back. Before the start of the campaign, the veteran was tipped as one of the most important players, especially with. Barcelona struggling to land their top targets during the summer transfer window.

However, a month into the new season, Alba has struggled to make an impression. He has lacked consistency and has even fallen behind Alejandro Balde in the pecking order. The late arrival of Marcos Alonso from Chelsea has not helped his cause either.

The 33-year-old has indeed racked up 126 minutes of league football, behind Balde (386). Although his lack of game-time has not led to his omission from the Spanish national team, the pressure is immense on the veteran as he seeks to prove himself ahead of the World Cup.

According to MARCA, Jordi Alba is not ready to give up hope just yet. He believes he has the quality to prove Xavi wrong and once again become a crucial element in Barça’s first team during the remainder of the campaign.

Despite all his struggles with game-time, the defender has maintained excellent fitness levels during training. He is also one of the players who are familiar with Xavi’s tactical setup and has proven to be a brilliant outlet for Barcelona on the wide defensive role in the past

Furthermore, the promise of added game-time with the Spanish national team in the upcoming international break could provide Alba just the opportunity he needs to return to the fold. But whether or not he can make full use of that opportunity remains to be seen.