Friday, November 22, 2024, 3:51 p.m.
Win without Lamine Yamal. That is the objective that Barça has in Balaídos. The team led by Hansi Flick counts as defeats the two games in which its young star has not started and that dependency is something that Hansi Flick wants to erase with a stroke of the pen. Achieving it would mean putting pressure on Real Madrid, which visits the Butarque Stadium on Sunday, and recovering feelings after the defeat against Real Sociedad prior to the national team break.
«There is no fear in the locker room. It didn’t go well against Real Sociedad, but the reason wasn’t because Lamine wasn’t there. He is a very important player, but you have to adapt to the situation. I’m not worried. He will play when he is ready, but it is important that he returns one hundred percent,” Flick said this Friday at the press conference prior to his team’s match against Celta. The German coach ruled out the presence of the winger, stressed the importance of returning “strongly” after the break and put to rest the controversy over Lewandowski’s offside once and for all. «Sometimes it is good to receive an explanation from LaLiga or the Federation who are responsible, but we are all human and things happen. “We shouldn’t make a big deal out of this,” he said.
That action in San Sebastián left a bitter aftertaste in Barcelona before the break. The culés arrived in San Sebastián full of energy, but left with contradictory feelings and the need to make up ground when they returned to work. That is the objective that Flick has in mind for a match that could leave Real Madrid nine points behind and with a dose of extra pressure ahead of the match against Leganés in Butarque.
To do this, Barça will have to once again overcome a significant number of casualties. Ter Stegen, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Eric García, Marc Bernal, Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres will not be there due to injury. Up to seven players will not be in Balaídos and that conditions an eleven in which Flick left the door open to a change of system. «Maybe we are a little limited by the absence of Lamine. We see what we will need in the next game and we make the game plan,” said the German.
Despite this, Flick will maintain the backbone of the team that has managed to add 33 points from the first 39 played. Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez will be at the back, Marc Casadó will be the pivot along with Pedri and above Dani Olmo, Raphinha and Lewandowski, already recovered from his back problems, are fixed waiting for the fourth in contention that will emerge from the shortlist that They make up Gavi, Fermín López, Pau Víctor and Pablo Torre.
A ticking bomb
Barça will be tested against a rival that is a double-edged sword. The team led by Claudio Giráldez has shown so far this season that it plays without complexes and is capable of generating a lot in the opponent’s area and allowing even more in its own area. It is the fourth highest scoring team and the second most scored, a cocktail that can be explosive against a Barça that averages more than three goals per game.
It will, therefore, be an open duel in which Celta will seek to continue with the good numbers they have averaged this season in Balaídos, where they have achieved four victories in the seven games they have played. To do this, Giráldez will be able to count on all his players except for Jailson, who has a muscle injury.
Possible alignments
Celta de Vigo: Guaita, Javi Rodríguez, Starfelt, Marcos Alonso Sotelo, Beltrán Fran, Mingueza, Ristic, Bamba, Iago Aspas y Borja Iglesias.
FC Barcelona: Iñaki Peña, Koundé, Cubarsí, Iñigo Martínez, Balde, Casadó, Pedri, Fermín, Dani Olmo, Raphinha y Lewandowski.
Arbitrator: César Soto Grado (Rioja Committee).
Stadium and schedule: Balaídos 21:00 / DAZN.
