Who will start in attack for Barcelona vs Atlético Madrid in Champions League quarterfinal first leg?

Barcelona heads into a night that could shape the team’s future in the Champions League. Across from them will be Atlético Madrid, a very difficult opponent, fiercely competitive and one that will demand the best version of Hansi Flick’s side. With the lineup more or less taking shape because of a few absences, one question still hangs in the air: who will fill the attacking spots?

With Robert Lewandowski, Ferran Torres, Dani Olmo and Marcus Rashford all real options, the German coach has four very different profiles available for two places that could define both Barcelona’s attack and their overall approach in a game where scoring and avoiding conceding will be crucial with the return leg still to come in Madrid.

If there is one natural name for the job, it is the Polish striker. In the Champions League, Flick has respected his status, starting him in seven of the nine games for which he has been available. In the tie against Newcastle, Lewandowski scored twice, and he also found the net against Slavia Prague and Copenhagen during the league phase. With him, Barcelona would have a clear focal point up front, someone capable of pinning back center backs and offering greater threat from wide deliveries. Added to that, of course, is Lewandowski’s outstanding nose for goal, as he showed again in the league game. And in high-pressure nights like the one expected at the Spotify Camp Nou, his experience could be especially valuable. The downside is that Barcelona lose some attacking mobility and also some of their pressing ability with him in the side.

Barcelona’s other center forward option is Ferran Torres. A few months ago, there would have been less doubt about his chances of starting, but the Valencia-born forward is not in his best place mentally right now. Short on confidence, he needs a goal desperately to recover his spark. Musso denied him three times in Saturday’s game at the Metropolitano. By now, everyone knows what Ferran brings to the team: movement, depth, an excellent ability to time his runs and exploit space, plus a very strong attitude in the high press. On the other side of the ledger is his current finishing slump. In the Champions League, he has appeared in eight games and scored twice, against PSG and Club Brugge.

There is also the false-nine route embodied by Dani Olmo. In fact, that was Flick’s choice in the league game against Atlético, and it worked. Olmo’s presence brings far more dynamism to Barcelona’s play, along with greater control because he is, at heart, a midfielder. He also creates uncertainty for opposing center backs, forcing them into awkward decisions, whether that means stepping out of their line or leaving space between the lines. With Olmo, Barcelona would look more unpredictable and more capable of breaking apart Atlético’s defensive shape. The tradeoff is obvious: without a true No. 9, the second line has to be sharper and more decisive. In this Champions League campaign, he has one goal and one assist in eight appearances.

But Olmo could also start on the left wing, with Fermín operating as the attacking midfielder. That option would mean leaving out Rashford, who appears to be the most logical choice on the left in Raphinha’s absence.

The choice of forwards could shape the entire game plan. With Lewandowski, Barcelona would likely look more positional and more direct. With Ferran Torres, they would be somewhat more vertical and more aggressive in the press. With Olmo, the bet would be on a more fluid, combination-based game with greater control. And with Rashford, Barcelona would gain directness, but at a certain defensive risk because of his shortcomings in the press.

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