Champions League
Barcelona’s possible starting XI against Dortmund in the Champions League
Olmo, Lewandowski, Pedri, Raphinha and Lamine are untouchable in a line-up that will also include Koundé, Iñigo, Cubarsí, Balde and Casadó.
Barcelona travel to Germany to take on Borussia Dortmund (Wed 11, 3:00 p.m. ET / 12: 00 p.m PT) in the UEFA Champions League first round, where they will look to increase their chances of getting through to the knockout stages without having to go through the playoff phase.
In the build-up to the game, the team have faced significant scrutiny due to a series of poor results that have seem them drop points against UD Las Palmas, Celta Vigo, Real Sociedad and, most recently, Real Betis.
Flick’s position is nowhere near under threat, but the initial jubilation that surrounded the club has worn off slightly, with their extreme offside trap failing to find the success it saw in the opening weeks of the season, most notably against Real Madrid, whom they beat 0-4 just 2 months ago.
Who will play for Barcelona against Dortmund?
For the upcoming game, while Hansi Flick is known for leaving room for surprises, the four changes he made to his preferred XI (Pedri, Olmo, Raphinha, and Lewandowski) in Seville hint at the importance he places on Wednesday’s match in Dortmund (3:00 p.m. ET)—and, by extension, the likely lineup.
Barring any unexpected decisions, Barça are expected to field their star eleven at Signal Iduna Park:
GK: Iñaki Peña
DEF: Koundé - Cubarsí - Martínez - Balde
MID: Casadó, Pedri - Olmo
ATT: Lamine Yamal - Lewandowski - Raphinha
The return of Ferran, Gavi, and De Jong, along with the availability of high-quality substitutes like Fermín, gives Flick room for flexibility.
However, this doesn’t seem like the ideal occasion to experiment—especially given recent setbacks. On a positive note, Olmo appears to have fully recovered from the incident against Betis that left him without a tooth.
The game between Dortmund - Barcelona will be played on Wednesday December 11 at Signal Iduna Park with kick off at 3:00 p.m. ET / 12: 00 p.m PT. Follow it on AS USA.
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