The conundrum left by Inigo Martinez departure from Barcelona

The news of Inigo Martinez's departure to Al-Nassr, still unconfirmed, has disrupted Barcelona's plans. The Catalan club will let him leave for free, but with three weeks to go before the transfer window closes, they have work to do... within the squad.

Flick loses his most important man in defence, who was one of the best centre-backs in the league last season and who was instrumental in the successful offside trap that brought so many rewards and helped the team win the domestic treble.

For now, Flick will remain in the squad with Pau Cubarsi, Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen, with the possibility of help from Jules Kounde, Gerard Martin and Eric Garcia.

Cubarsi poised to lead Barca's defence

The departure of Inigo Martinez means that Pau Cubarsi has to step up once again. At 18 years old, he has become the leader of the Barca defence after a great year alongside the Basque player. Now, having come of age, he must spread his wings and prove that he is the present and future of Spanish football.

Cubarsi knows that this is the opportunity of a lifetime. It is true that he has made some mistakes, which is to be expected given his age, but now he must become the man that the entire defence looks to and who can shape the future of the club for at least a decade.

Who's taking his place in the starting XI?

That is the big question mark left by the departure of Inigo Martinez: who will partner Pau Cubarsi in central defence? In theory, the choice should be Ronald Araujo, who has gone from being the visible head of the defence to being relegated to the bench.

The Uruguayan has other virtues compared to the former Athletic Club player. But where the difference is most noticeable is on the ball, in his passing. While Inigo, despite not being a paragon of virtue, has a good footwork, Araujo needs to improve a lot if he wants to become indispensable at the back.

Flick also has Andreas Christensen in his squad. The Dane has had numerous physical problems over the last year and has only been able to play 259 minutes spread over six different matches. There are doubts about his condition and his age, so he should not be counted on as a starter.

The other options involve converting a full-back into a centre-back. This is where Jules Kounde comes in, who has repeatedly stated in the past that he wants to return to the centre of defence. However, his good performance and understanding with Lamine Yamal make a change unlikely.