Balde Left Out of Barça Squad for Elche Clash

Barcelona has departed for their away fixture against Elche, and coach Hansi Flick has announced his first official squad list for the season. The manager named 23 players, notably omitting Rodri, as Flick himself had stated in his press conference. The reason for Rodri's absence is that the Spanish international has not yet reached the required physical condition. However, the biggest talking point is the absence of Alejandro Balde, whose future at the club appears increasingly uncertain.

Rodri is expected to be available for Thursday's match against Athletic Bilbao – a rescheduled fixture from the first round due to the international break. Balde's situation, however, is particularly delicate. He has received offers from Benfica and Aston Villa, and Flick himself has seemingly opened the door for his departure. In contrast, Jules Kounde, another player whose future was in doubt, has been included in the squad.

The only player sidelined due to injury is Frenkie de Jong, who continues to experience discomfort in his knee – an issue that has sparked considerable debate. The Dutch midfielder has opted for conservative treatment and is awaiting positive results.

Two players who have been dropped from the first team are Marc Casadó and Héctor Font. They are currently outside the team's regular training dynamic, awaiting a decision on their futures. Hansi Flick is not counting on them for the current season.

Among the Barcelona Atlètic youngsters, who play this Sunday in Vilanova, Belgian Jesse Bisiwu has been excluded. This is because all the bureaucratic procedures for his registration have not yet been finalized, making him available to coach Giuliano Belletti.

The players called up from the reserve team are Cortés, Espart, Fariñas, Hamza, Pesquer, and third-choice goalkeeper Eder Aller. These are players who have impressed Flick during pre-season training, and some, like Espart or Hamza, might even start.

On another note, Flick has not encountered any registration issues with players this season. All new signings, with the exception of the aforementioned Bisiwu, have been successfully registered, as has Andreas Christensen, who renewed his contract.