Head coach Xavi Hernandez hinted at the possibility that returning injured players like Robert Lewandowski and Frenkie de Jong will give FC Barcelona an advantage in Saturday’s El Clasico versus Real Madrid.
Girona’s 1-0 victory against Celta Vigo on Friday night means that Barca’s victory over their fierce rivals at the Montjuic Stadium does not ensure that they will win La Liga.
But a win might have a big impact on who wins the title at the end of the season in late May, since it might put them two points ahead of Los Blancos.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen will start in goal for the match that hundreds of millions of people will watch on television as he attempts to maintain his second straight league clean sheet.
At right back, where he usually tries to contain dangerous winger Vinicius Jr., are Alejandro Balde, Inigo Martinez, Andreas Christensen, and Ronald Araujo, the central defender.
To cover Jude Bellingham in a midfield three, Ilkay Gundogan is the pivot instead of Oriol Romeu, who has been unreliable lately.
In the middle of the park, Gavi and Fermin Lopez, who is eager to duplicate the goal he scored against Carlo Ancelotti’s team in a summer preseason friendly in Dallas, will be joining the former captain of Manchester City.
Xavi has made a bold move by benching 16-year-old wonder Lamine Yamal and using right defender Joao Cancelo as the right flank in the front line.
Though a last-minute determination regarding Robert Lewandowski’s fitness may give the Pole the advantage, Ferran Torres ought to start as the striker.
Joao Felix, on the left wing, aims to cause harm to an opponent he is familiar with from his time at Atletico Madrid, across the capital.
For Real Madrid, Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, and Antonio Rudiger form the defensive line that begins in front of goalkeeper Kepa.
Ancelotti chooses Bellingham, Toni Kroos, Fede Valverde, and Aurelien Tchouameni in midfield, while the formation appears to be a 4-4-2 on paper.
With Joselu as the only natural number nine on the bench, Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo, two Brazilians, team up to try and wreck havoc on the exhausted Catalans.
