Barcelona have suffered a setback ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg, with Alejandro Balde now not expected to be fit in time for the encounter.

The 21-year-old full-back had initially been tipped to make a brief return to action against Real Valladolid on Saturday, with hopes that he could then be ready to start at the San Siro.

However, Balde was not included in the matchday squad for Barcelona’s 2–1 victory over La Liga’s bottom side and, according to journalist Gerard Romero, has yet to return to full training.

As it stands, the expectation is that Balde will not feature against Inter Milan. Instead, the focus is on him potentially making his return in next weekend’s El Clásico.

Manager Hansi Flick will now be faced with key defensive decisions ahead of the crucial tie, especially with Jules Koundé also unavailable at right-back.

Gerard Martín, who stepped in at the weekend, is currently the most likely candidate to deputise for Balde. The youngster impressed in the outing against Valladolid and was named Man of the Match for his performance.