Ernesto Valverde's defensive dilemma against Atletico Madrid

Ernesto Valverde's defensive dilemma against Atletico Madrid

El técnico del Barça Ernesto Valverde valoró el regreso a las convocatorias de Umtiti después de su grave lesión / | Maite Jiménez

Samuel Umtiti is back and Pique-Lenglet combo has let in 13 goals in eight games

One of the main doubts Ernesto Valverde is facing ahead of the clash at the Wanda Metropolitano against Atletico Madrid is who should form his central defence. Piqué will be safe in the starting XI but ... who will accompany him? Clément Lenglet or Samuel Umtiti? On paper, logic indicates that it will be the former, although the second can not be ruled out either after Barça have shipped 13 goals in 8 games with Pique and Lenglet together.

Although Umtiti has undertaken some training with the first team, it would be a surprise if Valverde gave him a start after he has been absent since September 28, when the club said he suffered "discomfort in the left knee", not fixing a date for his return. He was given medical clearance on Saturday, November 10, the same day as Leo Messi, but remained on the bench against Real Betis in a 4-3 defeat.

The French centre-back, therefore, has missed the last 10 official matches and two international breaks for France, in which Didier Deschamps’ team has played four games (Iceland, Germany, Holland and Uruguay).

Pie de foto | AUTOR FOTO

It is true that Umtiti started the season as a starter, forming a partnership with Piqué. Together, the team played six games and shipped five goals.

After Umtiti’s injury, Lenglet came in. Despite starting with a draw against Athletic at the Camp Nou (1-1), the team pulled out the stops in the following games, all of them tough: Tottenham (2-4), Sevilla (4-2), Inter Milan (2-0) and Real Madrid (5-1). Barca also squeezed out a win at Vallecas (2-3) against Rayo Vallecano and drew at Inter (1-1) in the Champions League. In the last game, against Betis, the sensations were not so good.

There lies the dilemma for Valverde. Don’t change anything, even knowing that Pique-Lenglet have just kept one clean sheet, or change at the Metropolitano by throwing in Umtiti even though he hasn’t played for nearly two months.

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