Barcelona’s Hansi Flick has already made two calls on his starting XI to face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg. The Blaugrana host Los Colchoneros on Wednesday night at 21:00 CEST at Camp Nou in the fifth meeting between the two this season.
Los Colchoneros ran Barcelona close on Saturday night, with the Catalans coming out 2-1 winners at the Metropolitano, but Diego Simeone had rested a number of players for the game. On top of that, Flick lost Marc Bernal to injury, and the news this week is that Frenkie de Jong will not return in time to face Atletico this week.
It leaves Flick short of options in midfield. Marc Casado would perhaps be the obvious choice, given he is fit and available, but the German manager appears to have lost faith in the 22-year-old this season. Gavi is the other available midfielder, but is yet to make a start since returning from injury, and starting him is a major risk that Flick is unlikely to take.
🚨 Lamine Yamal's frustration after the win against Atlético Madrid was sparked by a sideline dispute with goalkeeping coach José Ramón de la Fuente, who criticized Lamine for a missed long-range shot while the game was still tied. Lamine reacted by pointing at the scoreboard,…
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Yet Diario AS say that it will be Eric Garcia who reprises his role against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. Garcia has been an ever-present for Flick this season, but struggled on Saturday night next to Pedri, and Barcelona improved with Bernal briefly and Gavi beside him.
Barcelona did get Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde back from injury on Saturday, and AS go on to say that Kounde will be back in the starting XI for the first time in over a month. He will replace Araujo at right-back, but notably, Balde will not. Joao Cancelo has been in good form at left-back, and it seems Balde’s spot is no longer a certainty when fit.
