Title: Barça and Benfica Clash in Champions League: Flick's Bold Squad Selection
Title: Barça and Benfica Clash in Champions League: Flick's Bold Squad Selection
Barcelona's coach, Hansi Flick, plans to field his finest squad against Benfica in the Estadio da Luz for a pivotal Champions League match. At a pre-match press conference, Flick stated, "We aim to win, it's a significant stride. We want to win and qualify for the Round of 16. We're second, holding a good position, so it's crucial to perform well and emerge victorious in the final two games."
Flick has previous experience tasting success at this ground, having guided Bayern Munich to victory during the pandemic in 2020. He acknowledged, "Winning the Champions League is one of the hardest things in this world. You may excel, but you're up against great teams. We're engaged in three competitions, and it's obvious that for us, it was essential to secure the initial title, the Super Cup."
Even though lifting the trophy for the first time since 2015 at his current club is "one of our objectives," Flick admitted, "It's a challenging competition." He expressed admiration for Liverpool, referring to them as one of his favorite teams, and praised Arne Slot for his work.
For this clash, Flick intends to deploy his strongest squad. Wojciech Szczesny will take charge in goal, backed by a defense comprising Alejandro Balde (who endured racial abuse in the previous game), Pau Cubarsi, Ronald Araujo, and Jules Kounde (with three goals in two games).
Anchoring the midfield will be Marc Casado and Pedri, while Gavi retains his position as the CAM, giving room for Ansu Fati to feature in the squad list due to Dani Olmo's injury.
Lamine Yamal will provide support on both sides, with Raphinha to his left and Robert Lewandowski serving as the central striker.
Predicted Barcelona Starting XI: Szczesny; Balde, Cubarsi, Araujo, Kounde; Casado, Pedri; Raphinha, Olmo, Yamal; Lewandowski.
[1]: FC Barcelona's Predicted Starting Lineup: the latest rumors and analysis[2]: Coach Hansi Flick's thoughts on Barcelona's comeback against Benfica[3]: Barcelona's resilience and the impact of substitutions in securing victory over Benfica[4]: Flick's confidence in securing direct qualification to the Round of 16 with a win at Benfica Stadium
Flick mentioned his admiration for Liverpool, stating, "Arne Slot is doing an excellent job there, and Liverpool is one of my favorite teams." Inaki Pena, who is currently on loan at Benfica, may face his former team as Flick prepares to field his strongest squad, including Frenkie de Jong and Pedri in the midfield. Gavi, who has been in form, is expected to retain his position as the CAM, while Gavi's teammate Lamine Yamal will provide support on both sides. The Champions League clash against Benfica is crucial for Barcelona as they aim to secure direct qualification to the Round of 16, just like Hansi Flick did with Bayern Munich in the Super Cup.