- FC Barcelona manager Hansi Flick confirmed Lamine Yamal is ready for the Champions League last 16 second leg hosting of Newcastle United.
- Eric Garcia is expected to come in at right back, as Joao Cancelo mans the other flank defensively.
- After winning a penalty at St. James’ Park in the first meeting and scoring against Sevilla, Dani Olmo should get the nod over Fermin Lopez.
- FC Barcelona Probable First XI Vs. Newcastle United: Joan Garcia; Eric, Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Cancelo; Pedri, Bernal; Lamine, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski.
The stage is set at for a European classic at FC Barcelona’s home
At his prematch press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Hansi Flick stated a belief that FC Barcelona have the quality to go all the way and lift the Champions League trophy for the first time since 2015 in Budapest.
Standing in their way of advancing, however, is a stubborn Newcastle outfit that was the better team last week and deserved to come out on top of the last 16 first leg drawn 1-1.
Barça struggled with intense pressing on Tyneside, as Lamine Yamal saved Blaugrana blushes by converting a 96th minute penalty.
In the return fixture at the Spotify Camp Nou, though, the German will make tactical adjustments to try and keep the Magpies at bay as 62,000 Culers and the Grada d’Animació look to cheer their stars on to victory and unsettle the visitors.
Here’s a breakdown of the probable starting line up, for FC Barcelona’s most important match of the season so far.
The Defensive Foundation
Now a growing fan favourite, Joan Garcia is the first name on the teamsheet as the goalkeeper. Much improved under Flick as opposed to the ‘loose cannon’ of the Xavi Hernandez era, Joao Cancelo is expected to be the left back.
Centrally, Pau Cubarsi – who suggested that youth will not get in the way at a club where “anything can happen” – is to partner Gerard ‘Maldini’ Martin, as we get to Flick’s first major change.
That entails Ronald Araujo being benched, as Flick prefers to field Eric Garcia at right back – with Xavi Espart also taken out – as a means of combatting Newcastle’s intense pressure with calm ballcarrying expertise that could also make its way into the middle.
The midfield engine and the number 10 dilemma
Neither Marc Bernal nor Pedri were rested against Sevilla, and they’ll form a duo once more in Frenkie de Jong’s injured absence that should be the heartbeat of the team if Newcastle give them breathing space.
It’ll still be a while, most probably after the international break, until he returns or that Gavi is ready to start matches.
The Spain international who made an emotional comeback from his own knock on Sunday can play in either the retreated or advanced positions, but at the moment there are just two contestants for the 10 role.
Scoring against Sevilla and winning Lamine’s spot kick on the Toon, Dani Olmo will be Flick’s other big call compared to the first leg as the CAM ahead of Fermin Lopez.
Though Fermin isn’t bad himself at this, Olmo can operate better in tight spaces that might be the only ones Eddie Howe’s men leave to be exploited.
FC Barcelona’s front three: Lamine returns
While he played the full 90, or rather 96 minutes the last time these two sides met, Lamine was rotated in the Sevilla rout and caught making wisecracks on the bench.
Flick has indicated that the winger is raring to go for this one after “training very well” on Monday, however, and he’ll look to draw players nearer him and consequentially create the mentioned possible spaces that were scarce in the prior meeting.
Unbeaten at the Spotify Camp Nou since the club returned to it, recent history stands in Barça’s favour as does the hat trick form of Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski being the only player across the two squads to have won the most coveted of club competitions.
On a separate note, it is worth mentioning that Lamine, Gerard Martin, Fermin and Marc Casado are all one booking away from automatic suspension for a potential quarterfinal first leg against Atletico Madrid or Tottenham Hotspur.
Once more, here’s that FC Barcelona Probable First XI Vs. Newcastle United: Joan Garcia; Eric, Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Cancelo; Pedri, Bernal; Lamine, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski.
