Flick to move Rodri into defense to counter Barça's defensive crisis ahead of PSG

By the PSG News newsroom · Published on 2026-10-18 · Updated on 2026-10-18 · hansi flick · rodri · psg · ligue des champions

With several starters out, Hansi Flick could line up Rodri in central defense on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at Parc des Princes to compensate Barça's gaps.

The FC Barcelona arrive with reduced defensive resources for the trip to Parc des Princes on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 21:00 (Paris time), a Champions League group-stage match against Paris Saint-Germain. The injuries to Eric Garcia and Jules Koundé deprive the squad of proven options at centre-back, while Andreas Christensen is also unavailable.

A reduced central sector to a few options

Pau Cubarsi appears as the only fully fit centre-back, while Gerard Martin finished the last game with a swollen foot but should be back for the Parc des Princes match. In this context, internal alternatives lack depth: the club has a small group of operational centre-backs for a meeting of this magnitude.

Solutions on the flanks and recourse to atypical profiles

The limited playing time of Alejandro Balde this season (12 minutes in competitive action, against Racing) places João Cancelo and Xavi Espart as probable candidates to fill the full-back roles. The Portuguese player is tipped to operate on the left, an unusual position for him but one he is believed capable of handling, while Xavi Espart should operate on the right.

In an emergency, Hansi Flick could resort to a solution already used by Luis Enrique: pulling a defensive midfielder into the heart of the defense. Rodri was indeed repositioned to centre-back during the 2022 World Cup by Luis Enrique. In the last match against Real Betis, Rodri returned alongside Pau Cubarsi in the final minutes, after Eric Garcia’s exit, a sign that the staff has already experimented with this option.

Tactical consequences for midfield

If Rodri drops back into the defensive line, the midfield would need to be reshaped. Marc Bernal and Gavi are cited as candidates to accompany Pedri at the heart of the action, while Frenkie de Jong remains unavailable and is not yet back after roughly four months out. This switch would involve giving more responsibility for transition and cover to the remaining midfielders, while tolerating a more defensive profile positioned between the defense and midfield.

Summary of known elements

• Confirmed absences: Eric Garcia and Jules Koundé (injured), Andreas Christensen unavailable.
• Fully fit centre-back: Pau Cubarsi.
• Player with a swollen foot but on the mend: Gerard Martin.
• Probable full-backs: João Cancelo (left) and Xavi Espart (right).
• Surprising option: Rodri repositioned to centre-back, a solution previously used by Luis Enrique in 2022.
• Possible midfield reorganization: Marc Bernal and Gavi to accompany Pedri; Frenkie de Jong still out for about four months.

The tactical choice to pull Rodri back, revisiting a previously experimented idea, aims to compensate for the lack of central defensive profiles and to preserve a degree of solidity without resorting to external solutions. Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at Parc des Princes will reveal whether Flick confirms this option or prefers other defensive permutations.