After an excellent start to the 2026-27 season, FC Barcelona have seen their form decline considerably in recent times as they lost both of their last two games, first against Paris Saint-Germain and then against Real Madrid.
These losses have turned the focus on the defensive fragility of the Blaugrana team, especially as they have several of their defenders currently unavailable. In fact, in recent days, there have been reports emerging of [the Catalan side planning to go into the market to land an experienced center-back](https://barcanewsnetwork.com/barcelona-identify-four-centre-back-targets-as-flick-seeks-january-reinforcements/) who can make an instant impact for the team.
The Barcelona head-coach Hansi Flick was also asked about this matter as he faced the press in his press conference ahead of the game against Alaves. As [Mundo Deportivo](https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/fc-barcelona/20261030/1004245037/flick-confirma-central-haremos.html) has reported, the German coach confirmed that his club is working towards the signing of a new defender:
**“I said it during the transfer window. We’re always talking about what’s best for the team and how we can improve it. That’s something we’re working on. We’ll see. We still have a few weeks before the transfer window opens. I’ve discussed it with Deco, Bojan and my staff. That’s how we do things. If it’s possible, we’ll do it.”**
Meanwhile, the Barcelona coach was not too concerned with the defeat against Real Madrid:
**“As I’ve always said, it’s a long road until the end of the season, when you can win titles. Nothing bad has happened. We lost against Madrid, and nobody liked that. But in the end, we have to deal with it. We had a chance to win the match and created some great opportunities. We have to accept the defeat and learn from it. Jules, Xavi Espart, Dani Olmo, Eric, Christensen… we’re missing a lot of defenders.”**
Flick admitted that being without so many defenders is not an easy situation for him:
**“It’s not easy. We have to find solutions. We’ve tried to do our best. For tomorrow, it’s clear: the most important thing is to pick up the three points.”**
It remains to be seen whether Barcelona will land a new center-back in the upcoming winter transfer window, but for now, Hansi Flick will have to find a formula to get the job done against Alaves and get the Blaugranes back to winning ways.