Barça and Atletico Madrid's Squad Selection: Flick Makes a Notable Decision
Barça and Atletico Madrid's Squad Selection: Flick Makes a Notable Decision
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick will face a significant decision when selecting the team to host Atletico Madrid for a high-stakes La Liga encounter on Saturday evening in Spain.
Atletico, currently the best team in the country, is on an 11-game winning streak and sits atop the table alongside Barcelona, with a game in hand.
However, it's important to note that Flick has never managed to defeat Atletico Madrid on their home turf during his 13-year tenure, spanning over 700 matches.
At a pre-match press conference on Friday, Flick described the upcoming game as a "notable contest" that will see Barcelona take on one of the best teams in La Liga.
"We are currently leading La Liga and are in second place in the Champions League. We dropped some points in recent games against Leganes and Las Palmas, making it tough," Flick said.
"There's respect for them. In football, the team that makes the fewest mistakes wins. It happened, and we must accept it. We always have a young team and we need to improve. We are fighting until the end of the season. This is what we'll do. We know it won't be easy. We must start fighting to face Atletico Madrid," he stated.
In addition to extending their lead at the top, Barcelona must also avoid their third consecutive defeat at their temporary home, the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Montjuic.
In goal, Iñaki Pena will start, with Alejandro Balde, Inigo Martinez, Pau Cubarsi, and Jules Kounde forming the defense in front of him.
Playing in a 4-3-2-1 formation, Marc Casado serves as the pivot, supporting midfielders Dani Olmo and Pedri.
Unfortunately for Flick, Lamine Yamal, who is out injured for the remainder of 2024, will not be available. This will necessitate a major decision on a topic that has been heavily debated in the build-up to the match.
Ferran Torres will step in to replace Yamal on the right wing, while Raphinha continues to occupy the left, offering support to striker Robert Lewandowski.
Barcelona's Starting XI vs. Atletico Madrid: Pena; Balde, Inigo, Cubarsi, Kounde; Casado, Olmo, Pedri; Raphinha, Ferran; Lewandowski
Flick mentioned that Atletico Madrid, led by Diego Simeone, is one of the best teams in La Liga, breaking their 11-game winning streak being a notable challenge for Barcelona. Despite their lead in La Liga and second place in the Champions League, Barcelona dropped points against Leganes and Las Palmas recently, adding pressure. Unfortunately, Lamine Yamal, a key player, is out injured until the end of 2024, requiring Flick to replace him with Ferran Torres in the starting XI. The Barcelona team that will face Atletico Madrid includes Dani Olmo, Pedri, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, and several other players in different positions.