- FC Barcelona coach Flick tinkered with his line up in the last training session before a Champions League last 16 second leg meeting with Newcastle on Wednedsay.
- Surprisingly, Ferran Torres, could make a last-minute push for the first XI.
- After all, contrary to expectations, Fermin Lopez could get the nod over Dani Olmo.
- At this moment in time, however, our expected FC Barcelona starting line up vs. Newcastle is: Joan Garcia; Eric, Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Cancelo; Pedri, Bernal; Lamine, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski.
In the last training session at the Joan Gamper CT, before taking on Newcastle United in a vital Champions League last 16 match second leg encounter, FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick tinkered with his expected line up.
With the score tied at 1-1 and spirits high following 5-2 La Liga dismantling of Sevilla at the weekend, there were good vibes in the session among a camp that stands out for its unbeatable unity, as also corroborated by Mundo Deportivo’s Fernando Polo.
Emerging defender Alvaro Cortes was the birthday boy that had a contract renewal to celebrate too, but there were also serious matters at hand with little time to spare until hosting Eddie Howe’s men.
Flick might make just one change after all to his FC Barcelona starting line up
By outlets such as MD rival’s SPORT, it has long been reported that Flick would make “no more than two changes” to the first XI which struggled to deal with Newcastle’s intense pressing at the first leg at St. James’ Park.
One thing both publications can agree on, though, is that Eric Garcia will step in at right back to add cool and composed ball carrying at Xavi Espart or Ronald Araujo’s expense, and this was backed up by the XI Flick looked at in training on Tuesday.
SPORT’s prediction could still ring true, though, because the second of the two changes sees Ferran Torres tested up front.
Should he dislodge Robert Lewandowski, ‘the Shark’ would be fresh. He sat out the Sevilla rout and only came on in the 89th minute against Newcastle shortly before Lamine Yamal equalised with a penalty deep into stoppage time.
The other expected replacement is meant to be Dani Olmo for Fermin Lopez. Fermin started on Tyneside, but it was Olmo that cleverly won Lamine’s spot kick and netted at Fermin’s fellow Andalusians’ expense as Barça reopened his four-point lead over Real Madrid at the summit.
In Flick’s Tuesday XI, though, Fermin was there in the ’10’, CAM role and there could be last minute calls on that and who stars as the central nine.
Here’s Hansi Flick’s last training line up: Joan Garcia; Eric Garcia, Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Cancelo; Bernal, Pedri; Lamine, Fermin, Raphinha; Ferran
