Monday, November 25, 2024, 6:15 p.m.
This Tuesday, Barcelona aims to regain its sensations in the Champions League. The team led by Hansi Flick receives Brest at the Lluis Companys with the aim of turning the page after the two league defeats against Real Sociedad and Celta and with the possibility of taking one more step to be in the next European phase through directly, without the need to play a previous qualifying round. They will have to do it without Lamine Yamal, still hobbled by the problems he suffers from in his right ankle, but with the rest of the artillery ready to add three new points in the Champions League.
«I see things positively. For me, the issue is that we must learn from situations. There is a lot of quality, but it has to be demonstrated on the field. It is a young team and it is in process. I’m sure we’ll have a great game. “We will not change our way of doing things,” Flick said this Monday. The German coach assured that his team is not suffering from a physical decline and recognized the importance of rediscovering victory as soon as possible. “If we win, we will be in a good situation,” he acknowledged.
That scenario, that of the “good situation”, would only arrive by turning the page after the last two setbacks in the League. Barça has lost against Real Sociedad and Celta the cohesion that made it press as a block and the physical capacity that allowed it to recover the ball or, failing that, retreat meters to avoid further damage. Without that, the culés have become blurred and deficiencies have appeared that existed in times past and that now threaten Flick. Despite this, the German does not see dark clouds. «All equipment must be connected. So far they have done well and we have surely learned our lesson,” he proclaimed.
Barça is looking for the antidote in the Champions League to be among the top eight, but they still won’t be able to count on Lamine Yamal. The young winger continues to have problems with his ankle and did not train this Monday with the rest of his teammates. Neither will Balde, with lumbar problems, nor the usual Ter Stegen, Araujo, Christensen and Ansu Fati, while Ferran Torres and Eric García could return to the squad.
The loss of Lamine Yamal will once again condition Flick’s eleven. Against Celta, Raphinha played on the right side and Dani Olmo went to the left, while against Brest the Brazilian could recover the position in which he has managed to be more decisive this season. His role will not change the rest of a lineup in which Gerard Martín will once again be the starter, in which Marc Casadó will be the pivot with Pedri and in which the big unknown will be who will be the third midfielder in the engine room. In that position Pablo Torre, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi and Fermín López have options.
Tournament Reveal
In front will be a team that has gone from being a hidden team to one of the great revelations of the Champions League. Brest has earned the right to dream after scoring 10 of the first 12 points at stake and having conceded just three goals in four games.
Sturm Graz, Salzburg and Sparta Prague, three rivals in their theoretical league, have already fallen to a French team that now faces its big test with a visit to the Lluis Companys. Éric Roy, French coach, will have to do so with Coulibaly, Faivre, Haidara, Less-Melou and Locko missing due to injury, but with the feeling that this season in the Champions League anything can happen for Brest. If they beat Barça they will have the same points in the top continental competition as in Ligue 1.
Probable lineups:
Barcelona: Iñaki Peña, Koundé, Cubarsí, Iñigo Martínez, Gerard Martín, Marc Casadó, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Raphinha y Lewandowski.
Brest: Bizot, Lala, Chardonnet, Le Cardinal, Amavi, Camara, Fernandes, Magnetti, Castillo, Sima and Ajorque.
Referee: Irfan Peljto (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
Stadium and schedule: Lluis Companys. 9:00 p.m. (Movistar Champions League).
