Many new faces in the Barcelona team in Cádiz. Xavi Hernández has made up to eight changes to the lineup. The proximity of the second leg against PSG, the sanctions and the warning of missing the classic have made the Blaugrana present a team with several of the less common players. In fact, only Ter Stegen, Cubarsí and Sergi Roberto repeat the starters who won at the Parc des Princes. The captain is also suspended for the second match against the Parisians.
Although he needs to win to avoid saying goodbye to the League, the coach has chosen to rest footballers like Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Koundé and Araújo, players who stood out in last Wednesday’s Champions League triumph and who are called to be protagonists on Tuesday in Montjuïc.
In addition, Barcelona has three sanctioned. They are Lewandowski, Cancelo and Iñigo Martínez. The three saw the fifth yellow in the last League game and complete the cycle this Saturday. Without the Pole, the Blaugrana team’s top scorer, the responsibility of being the reference in attack falls on Vitor Roque.
The Brazilian has only started once since his arrival in the winter market. It was in Vigo, last February 17. Since then he has only played four times and has not yet made his debut in the Champions League. The League is his competition, of his 13 games, 11 have been in the championship, where he has celebrated two goals.
There are three players who, if cautioned, would miss next week’s Bernabéu classic. It is a fact that the coaching staff is very aware of since Gündogan starts on the bench. Yes, the other two are starters: Oriol Romeu and Christensen. The Dane, after many games as a pivot, returns to his central position, alongside Cubarsi, who is making his eighth consecutive start. He is not the only youth player because Héctor Fort, after serving at the Metropolitano, will occupy the right back.
Xavi, who is serving his second game of suspension, gives the starting position to two players who had not appeared in the starting eleven for some time. Ferran Torres has not been there since January 31 when he was injured while for Marcos Alonso, who will play at left back, it is the first game in five months, since November 7 in Hamburg against Shakhtar.
On the other hand, De Jong and Pedri, who were discharged just before the Paris duel after more than a month injured, are currently starting as substitutes.
Barça’s eleven in the Nuevo Mirandilla is made up of Ter Stegen, Héctor Fort, Cubarsí, Christensen, Marcos Alonso, Oriol Romeu, Fermín, Sergi Roberto, Ferran Torres, João Félix and Vitor Roque.