Left back Alejandro Balde joins in with first team training

Alejandro Balde's big opportunity has arrived. The young left back, who has a bigger chance than ever before to earn a place in Barça's first team squad following the departure of Junior Firpo to Leeds and given the club's delicate financial situation, which encourages the club's technical staff to place their trust in young talent rather than seeking new signings, joined in the first team session on Tuesday morning.

Balde was part of Ronald Koeman's second session of pre-season. The defender, however, did not take part in Monday's training session because Barça applied - as they have done with Ilaix Moriba - a measure of pressure to try to unblock negotiations to extend his contract, which expires in June 2022 and includes the option to extend it for two more years.

While Ilaix continues pre-season with Barça B, Balde was been one of the new faces in Tuesday's first team session at the Joan Gamper Training Ground. Kays Ruiz and Jordi Escobar, recently announced as new players for Sergi Barjuan's side, also joined in with the first team squad, which was light on numbers due to injuries and players yet to return from this summer's international tournaments.