Xavi Hernández had found a guaranteed starting team, eleven players that gave Barça effectiveness in attack and, above all, a lot of security in defense, but injuries have ruined that balance that allowed the blaugrana to move with sufficiency and security in the league. Now, the casualties put the depth of the squad to the test in a decisive stretch of the season, starting with the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal against Real Madrid.
The Barça team will visit the Santiago Bernabeu this Thursday without the injured Pedri, Dembélé and Lewandowski, three key players whose absence reduces their scoring ability and offensive creativity. First it was the Frenchman, then the Canarian fell against Manchester United and finally the Pole suffered a muscular overload in Almería, where Barça lost (1-0) and missed a golden opportunity to increase Madrid’s advantage to ten points .
The elimination from the Europa League and the defeat against the Andalusians have raised the doubts of a team that faces a revalidation in the tie against the whites. Xavi will have to choose an eleven with some players accustomed this season to a secondary role who will have to take a step forward in the Madrid fiefdom.
In principle, the Egarense coach will maintain the scheme with four midfielders that had given him such good returns until recently. This drawing would give continuity to Kessié or Sergi Roberto in the midfield alongside Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong, with Gavi acting as a false winger, a position in which he shone especially in the Super Cup final against Madrid. On the offensive line, everything indicates that the novelty would be Ferran Torres to the detriment of an Ansu Fati still limping from the knee who has not trained this Tuesday. Raphinha seems to have a guaranteed place.
The youth player and the Valencian would have more options to enter the eleven if they finally bet on a 4-3-3 with two pure wingers. Ferran Torres has shown signs of improvement in his last appearances. He was the best on the team against Cádiz, a game in which he started, and contributed when he came off the bench at Old Trafford. On the other hand, in Almería he was obsessed like the rest of the team when trying to reach the area with repeated offensive centers that did not harm the Almería defense.
However, both Ferran Torres and Raphinha and Ansu Fati are the healthy players on the team who on paper have more overflow, a fundamental virtue to dismantle defenses. The Brazilian started the season exhibiting goal and dribbling, but in recent months he has lowered his performance, timid in one against one and erratic in the pass. His defensive effort continues to provide balance and against Madrid, with Vinícius in his band, his help seems essential.
For his part, Ansu Fati missed the visit to Almería due to his knee and would arrive very precisely for the Bernabeu event, where the team would need its best version if it was available. The Guinean Hispanic, a regular substitute this season, has been frustrated in many games, without seeing the goal in the last eight games and signing inconsequential performances. By dressing short against the whites, he will have to assume a responsibility that he has not yet had this season.
While in the attacking field everything is question marks, in defense Xavi has no doubts. With Ter Stegen under the sticks, Araújo would return to the side to defend Vinícius, Koundé and Christensen would be the center-backs and Balde would start on the left-back. Barça will base its options at the Bernabeu on maintaining security at the back and hoping that the new attacking formation will put the Militão, Rüdiger and company in trouble.
