The quarterfinal match between Athletic Club and Barcelona took place in the Copa del Rey, and it was a match that neutrals would have certainly enjoyed watching. While the Catalans countered with a couple of their own, the hosts were responsible for the most of the clear-cut opportunities that were produced.

Many young people, such Lamine Yamal and Hector Fort, have given outstanding performances, which is sure to instill a sense of optimism in the audience for the future.

During the same game, however, Alejandro Balde sustained a serious knee injury in the first half of the match. Because of this, he had to be replaced by Fort, and the initial reports indicated that he would be out of action for at least a month and a half, if not substantially longer.

However, as has been the case with injuries sustained by Barcelona players this season, the initial tests appear to be an underreaction. According to a recent report from MARCA, Balde may be required to have surgery in order to treat his ailment.

In the coming hours, he will be subjected to additional examinations, and he will make the ultimate decision after carefully considering the guidance provided by Barcelona’s medical experts and coaches.

However, there is a significant risk involved in undergoing surgery, since it is possible that he may not be able to return to the game by the time the season is over. This not only puts his participation in the 2024 European Championship with the Spanish National Team in question, but it also puts his future with the team in serious jeopardy.

The choices available to Spain

Spain does have a number of choices available to them for the left-back position, one of which is Valencia captain Jose Gaya. Gaya was anticipated to move to Barcelona at some point in his career, but he has made the decision to remain with Los Che.

There is also a possibility that Alejandro Grimaldo, who plays for Bayer Leverkusen, would start, particularly considering the fantastic season that he is having. Since the beginning of the Bundesliga season, the graduate of La Masia has played in 18 games and has scored seven goals and assisted on eight others. This is the most of any defender in the top five leagues.

Additionally, Javi Galan has recently relocated from Atletico Madrid to Real Sociedad, and he has the potential to be a contender for the position if he has a second half of the season that is satisfactory enough.