Real Madrid are getting set to face off against FC Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday for the second Clasico of the 2019-2020 season, and they may have to prepare for Jordi Alba at left back.
FC Barcelona starting left back Jordi Alba has been in and out of the lineup this season due to various hamstring injuries. Alba last played on Feb. 15 against Getafe for 22 minutes, and he did not make an appearance against Napoli in the Champions League.
However, Alba is back in the 18-man squad for manager Quique Setien on Sunday, as he was cleared to play following Barca’s final training session before facing Real Madrid on Sunday in El Clasico.
Alba played the full 90 minutes in the first Clasico of the season on Dec. 19, taking two shots and drawing two fouls, per WhoScored.com. Despite providing his usual running and annoyances to the Real Madrid players, Los Blancos kept the pacy left back in check. Alba didn’t register a shot on target with either of his attempts, made no interventions defensively beyond a trio of clearances, and completed under 80 percent of his passes.
Junior Firpo has been the starting left back when Alba is out, and the young defender has been just as good as the 30-year-old veteran of La Blaugrana. There’s a chance Junior starts regardless of Alba’s return to health, as Barcelona may not want to risk a player who has suffered from so many tricky hamstring issues this season.
Even so, El Clasico is the biggest game of the year, and this Clasico should be the title-deciding match in La Liga. Both clubs have been neck and neck this season, trading places at the top of the table. They drew 0-0 at Camp Nou in December, but this clash at the Bernabeu feels even bigger, especially since the acquisition of Martin Braithwaite has breathed new life into Barca.
Since Alba has been such an important veteran player and knows how to get under the skin of Real Madrid player, Setien may want to push for the player to start and sub him later if the hamstring doesn’t hold up. Whatever the case, Alba’s return gives Barca a boost and another option for Zinedine Zidane to ponder tactically.