As soon as Samuel Umtiti was announced in the line up, the omens were ominous.
That’s not a defeatist attitude, it’s based around the facts of the last few occasions that Umtiti has partnered Gerard Pique in defence.
Where once he was a shoo-in, the Frenchman now rightly has to fight for his place.
Whether he deserved a start is a moot point, but we only need look at his positioning throughout the encounter at Celta and his lack of desire to get back as the hosts scored their equaliser to know that he is a liability now.