Barcelona have received a major boost in their squad depth through the addition of four players this winter.
Dani Alves and Ferran Torres have already made their debut under Xavi, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Adama Traore are set to feature in the next game.
Despite bringing in a quartet of signings, Xavi was faced with a dilemma over the Europa League squad. The European competition allows only three fresh players to be added to the roster in January, meaning one had to be left out.

Yesterday, the club revealed that Alves would be the one to miss out on a spot in the squad. According to reports from SPORT, the Brazilian is upset over being left out. Though he accepts the manager’s decisions, he would have liked to participate in the competition.

One cannot fault Xavi for deciding to leave out the right-back. At 38 years of age, Alves cannot play at the frequency with which the rest of the team compete. Moreover, given that Europa League games are scheduled midweek, just a day or two after league clashes, the Brazilian would find it challenging to keep up.

Finishing in the top four in La Liga is the ultimate goal for the club now. Barcelona cannot afford to miss out on Champions League qualification for next season, and the manager seems to have prioritised it over the Europa League.

With Dani Alves out of the competition, Sergino Dest is expected to get more chances to impress the manager. The USMNT star had had few minutes under the new manager, but his situation will certainly improve.

Alves is expected to start Barcelona’s game against Atletico Madrid this weekend, with a spot in the top-4 up for grabs