Hansi Flick set to rotate his troops for Barcelona’s La Liga clash vs Valencia | OneFootball

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick will be forced into several changes when his side meet Valencia this weekend.

According to SPORT, a combination of injuries, fatigue from international duty and the looming Champions League opener has left the German coach with important decisions to make.

The first big issue is in defence. Alejandro Balde, who suffered a hamstring injury in training last week, will be sidelined for around three weeks. That opens the door for Gerard Martin.

The youngster, who missed the opening La Liga matches because he was not yet registered, finally got his first minutes against Rayo Vallecano and is expected to start at left-back against Valencia.

Midfield problems and attacking adjustments

The midfield is where Flick’s headaches grow. With Frenkie de Jong and Gavi both unavailable, Marc Casado looks set to line up alongside Pedri in the centre of the pitch.

Eric Garcia is also considered an option if Flick wants more defensive security in that area.

Marc Casado could start against Valencia. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

In attack, Flick has another balancing act. Robert Lewandowski returned from international duty with Poland on a high, having scored against Finland.

The veteran striker has declared himself ready to play the full 90 minutes and could finally start a game this season, pushing Ferran Torres back to the bench despite his recent good form.

The curious case of Raphinha

The biggest doubt is Raphinha. The Brazilian featured against Chile and could be used again when his national team face Bolivia.

That means a long trip back to Spain, limited recovery time and almost no training with his Barcelona teammates before the weekend.

Flick could therefore turn to Marcus Rashford on the left flank, using his pace and energy to freshen up the attack.

With a Champions League trip to Newcastle looming next week, Flick’s squad rotation will be under close scrutiny.