FC Barcelona lost (1-2) against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League this Wednesday evening. The fault of a failed transfer window in defence?
This Wednesday evening, for the 2nd matchday of the Champions League league phase, Barcelona started as favourites at home against a PSG decimated by the absences of Marquinhos, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Joao Neves. But the reality on the pitch was different.
PSG won with a reshuffled team at Montjuic
PSG's Senny Mayulu pictured in October 2025
If the Blaugrana also counted important absentees with Joan Garcia, Gavi, Raphinha and Fermin Lopez, they could still count on the return of Lamine Yamal. The Catalan club therefore presented themselves with a slightly reshuffled team, but less so than PSG, who fielded two inexperienced young players, Senny Mayulu and Ibrahim Mbaye, in attack.
This did not prevent FC Barcelona from being generally dominated in this match and losing 2-1. This defeat brought out certain choices from Barcelona's transfer window, which saw only Marcus Rashford, Joan Garcia and Roony Bardghji arrive. If the first two mentioned are largely up to standard since their arrivals, the Blaugrana should perhaps have strengthened certain positions in defence. This seems to be the enormous error committed by Barcelona during this summer transfer window.
Full-backs to recruit in the transfer window for Barcelona
Barcelona's Alejandro Balde, Marc Casado and Pau Cubarsi disappointed after a defeat
Indeed, the Catalan defence was not at all up to standard against PSG. Gerard Martin, who was a starter because Alejandro Balde was returning from injury, does not seem to be able to hold this role in the Champions League. With Balde's physical fragility, the Catalan club should have signed one more left-back this summer to be able to compete on all fronts.
For the right-back position, it is the same. Jules Kounde, who is moreover a centre-back by training, is the only real right-back in the squad. An additional signing in this position seemed necessary for a club with such ambitions. In the event of the Frenchman's absence, Eric Garcia or Ronald Araujo, who are centre-backs, will surely have to fill in at a position where they almost never play.
Inigo Martinez's departure costs Barcelona dearly
Hansi Flick head coach of Barcelona pictured in August 2025
However, at centre-back, FC Barcelona have what it takes, but they lost quality during the last transfer window. Indeed, the Spanish side let Inigo Martinez leave for free to Al-Nassr, whilst the former Athletic Bilbao player was coming off a magnificent season and formed a very solid central defensive partnership with Pau Cubarsi.
This departure was felt against PSG, whilst the axis of the defence was brittle, despite the absence of a number 9 on the Parisian side. Inigo Martinez was also not replaced, because confidence was given to Eric Garcia or Ronald Araujo to ensure his succession.
Thus, Barcelona should not have let Inigo Martinez leave this summer and should have signed new full-backs as back-ups for this season, because the defence, which was already a problem last season, was paradoxically weakened this summer. The Catalans had notably conceded 7 goals in the double-header against Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-final.
This article was originally published on Top Mercato.
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