Barcelona fan favourite absent as Flick tests potential lineup in training for Dortmund clash | OneFootball

As Barcelona get set to take on Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie tomorrow, preparations are underway at the Ciutat Esportiva.

Coming into the game on the back of a draw against Real Betis in La Liga, Barcelona will be itching to bounce back and register a win, taking an advantage for the second leg in Germany next week.

Hansi Flick tries potential lineup, no Gavi

According to journalist Josep Soldado, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick tested out a potential lineup for tomorrow’s match against Borussia Dortmund at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.

And there was one notable omission as Gavi was not part of the lineup tested. Instead, Fermin Lopez was tried as the attacking midfielder.

The starting XI that was tested had Wojciech Szczesny in goal, with a back four of Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, and Alejandro Balde.

Fermin to replace Gavi in the team? (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The midfield trio would be Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, and Fermin, with Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha leading the line upfront.

Gavi was the preferred choice when Barça took on Real Betis this past weekend, with the midfielder even scoring his team’s only goal of the game.

However, Flick has been cautious about the 20-year-old’s workload management given that he has returned from a lengthy injury-enforced absence and was dealing with some discomfort last week which led to him not playing even a minute vs Atletico Madrid.

Fermin, meanwhile, was the starter for Barcelona in the games against Girona and Atleti, and it appears that he could get the nod tomorrow against Dortmund.

Though the session gave clues, the lineup that the manager tried is not set in stone and only time will tell if Flick does go ahead with the same XI or makes changes.