FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick will tinker with his midfield for a key Champions League clash against Eintracht Frankfurt at Camp Nou on Wednesday.
The German has started to be impressed with his charges following key wins in La Liga over Atletico Madrid and Real Betis home and away.
With Real Madrid also slipping up through a draw and a loss to Girona and Celta Vigo respectively, a Barca team that was five points off the chase in the aftermath of a chastening El Clasico defeat is now top by four.
There’s no denying that the Blaugrana’s lot could be better in the Champions League, though, where they are currently 18th and therefore facing a playoff tie in January.
Losses to Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, plus a tie at Clube Brugges, are to thank for this predicament.
But Flick can help Barca rise up the league table in Europe’s premier competition by beating a foe in Frankfurt that was the architect of one of Camp Nou’s darkest continental nights back in 2022 on its way to winning the Europa League.
After playing Lamine Yamal in a central 10 role away at Betis and Roony to the whizzkid’s right, Flick will once more place Lamine on the flank.
This is because Fermin Lopez will occupy the CAM spot, with Raphinha to his left.
Rightly rewarded for his hat trick in Seville, Ferran Torres is the number 9 striker up front as Robert Lewandowski tastes the bench yet again.
Further down the pitch, it is of course Joan Garcia who starts as the goalkeeper in his first Champions League match at Camp Nou as an FC Barcelona player.
As one of Barca’s stand out payers of the campaign so far, Gerard Martin soldiers on at centre back partnered by Pau Cubarsi.
Jules Kounde sits this one out, while replaced by Eric Garcia, and we’ll find Alejandro Balde on the other flank as Barca seeks its third European win.
What FC Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said
“Everyone knows what has happened in the last three months. We’ve had a lot of important players out, and in recent weeks we’ve had to control the minutes a lot.
“We are well, very connected, and that is what we want and need. The defensive line is at another level compared to the last month. We don’t have much time to train, but when we work something we do it in the games, and that’s very positive. We always want to improve and train. We have a lot of potential.”
