As the Benfica-Barça match approaches this Tuesday at 3:00 PM EST, the biggest question mark in Hansi Flick’s lineup seemed to be the goalkeeper position.
The Blaugranaaim to secure their direct qualification to the Round of 16, which they will achieve with a win at Benfica Stadium, a venue many Benfica fans still refer to as Da Luz due to its proximity to the legendary stadium.
The absence of Dani Olmo due to muscle issues has somewhat clarified the Blaugrana’s starting eleven. Koundé, Araújo, Cubarsí, and Balde—who played a stellar game in Getafe despite facing racist insults—will form the defense. Pedri and Gavi are fixtures in the midfield whileCasadó will be the defensive midfielder.
The intensity anticipated for Tuesday’s match in Lisbon favours the academy product over De Jong, who, however, stepped up in Getafe and is now challenging for a starting spot. The forward line is set with Lamine, Lewandowski, and Raphinha, whose impressive stats justify their untouchable status. Ferran will wait for his chance on the bench, and Fermín might also get some minutes in the second half. These two, along with De Jong, are the likely substitutions.
But the main uncertainty came in the goalkeeping position. Flick’s almost excessive praise for Szczesny yesterday was seen as a tactic to boost his confidence, as Iñaki Peña remained the starter. Despite recent press conferences suggesting a potential rotation in goal, Szczesny will start in the game against the Portuguese side.
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Szczesny got a red card during the Spanish Super Cup final for a late challenge.StringerREUTERS
His red card forced Flick to play Peña against Betis in the Copa del Rey, and the Alicante native continued in La Liga. Given Szczesny’s start, it could signal a scenario where the Polish keeper plays in knockout tournaments while Peña handles LaLiga duties. This setup hasn’t been seen at Barça since the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons when Bravo played in La Liga and Ter Stegen in the Copa and Champions League.
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