Ronald Araujo’s imminent departure to Liverpool has pressured FC Barcelona to rethink their defensive plans, however it has additionally accelerated one of many membership’s most essential inside initiatives: the promotion of Alvaro Cortes.
Certainly, based on SPORT, the Catalans see the La Masia graduate because the alternative for the departing membership captain, with the possibilities of signing a brand new defender fading.
The 21-year-old centre-back has steadily progressed by the Barça ranks and took a big step ahead final season when Hansi Flick handed him his first-team debut.
Notably, he began the match and operated because the left-sided centre-back, a task that holds specific significance inside Barcelona’s defensive construction.
Flick and Deco totally satisfied
Each Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco have been extremely impressed with Cortes’ improvement.
The plan was already for the defender to stay with the primary staff this season, however Araujo’s exit has strengthened that call even additional.
With one much less central defender competing for locations, Cortes now has a clearer path to common involvement, to the purpose that Barça have determined to not signal a direct alternative for Araujo due to the arrogance they’ve within the academy graduate.
As issues stand, the membership has dominated out pursuing defenders such as Cristian Romero or Aymeric Laporte.
As an alternative, Flick believes he has sufficient choices with Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Andreas Christensen and Cortes, whereas Eric Garcia, Jules Kounde and even Rodri, who has expertise in defence, present further cowl when wanted.
A defender who matches Flick’s system
Barcelona’s religion in Cortes extends properly past his bodily attributes. Standing at round 1.90 metres, he’s robust in aerial duels and comfy in bodily battles, however what actually stands out is his understanding of the place.
He’s snug defending excessive up the pitch, proactive when stepping out to intercept, and able to protecting massive areas behind the defensive position, qualities which might be important in Flick’s aggressive defensive setup. His skill on the ball is one other main asset.
Cubarsi stays the cornerstone of the again line, whereas Martin can also be able to working on the left facet of central defence. Cortes, nonetheless, provides one thing completely different.
His peak, anticipation, naturally left-footed distribution and talent to provoke assaults from the again make him a powerful various with out forcing the membership to hunt options within the switch market.
That doesn’t essentially imply Barcelona are fully completed available in the market, because the membership continues to evaluate the steadiness of the squad and whether or not one other dependable centre-back might ultimately be wanted.
For now, although, Araujo’s exit has reworked Cortes’ outlook. He’s not seen merely as a defender for the longer term and may have a real alternative to show he belongs in Barcelona’s current.
