€55m player in, Pau Cubarsi suspended – Predicted Barcelona starting XI for UCL clash against SL Benfica | OneFootball

FC Barcelona are set to now play in arguably one of their biggest games this season. La Blaugrana are scheduled to now take part in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie in the UEFA Champions League. Their opponents, SL Benfica, will be the ones making the trip this time to Barcelona.

Following a 1-0 victory in the first leg, Hansi Flick’s men enter this second fixture with a lot of confidence. However, following the postponement of their last outing against CA Osasuna in La Liga, Barcelona will also have the ability to field their strongest eleven without any fatigue-related issues.

Here is how Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side could line up for the game against Benfica.

Expected Line-up:

Goalkeeper: Wojciech Szczesny

Against Benfica in the last game, the Polish veteran was clearly the game-winner for La Blaugrana. His crucial saves enabled Barcelona to come away with a clean sheet, and that is exactly what he will be aiming for this time around as well.

Right-back: Jules Kounde

The Frenchman has continued to have Hansi Flick’s support behind him, despite a few issues that have led to penalties. However, in terms of striking the right balance between attack and defense, there are few better options at Barça.

Centre-back: Ronald Araujo

With Pau Cubarsi suspended for this game, Ronald Araujo could be the player to start alongside Inigo Martinez. While he made some unwanted errors the first time he faced Benfica this season, his second appearance was a lot better and showcased more of his strengths as well.

However, due to Cubarsi’s red card, the €55 million-rated Uruguayan defender will likely now start from scratch. He will need to help his partner in defense maintain the highline and do so with extreme precision.

Centre-back: Inigo Martinez

A true wall at the back for Hansi Flick’s side this season, the Spaniard has proven time and time again that he can rise up on the big occasions. For that reason, his participation in this game feels like a no-brainer and he should be a guarantee at the back.

Left-back: Alejandro Balde

The youngster suffered a blow following his last appearance against Benfica, but he should now be available and ready to start. With him in the team, Barcelona are aware that they have a player who can create space out of nothing with his own talent.

CDM: Frenkie de Jong

A centrepiece of this Barcelona team when it comes to composure and control, Frenkie de Jong offers exceptional quality in the midfield. No matter the game’s intensity, he has the ability to turn it on its head out of nowhere.

CDM: Pedri

Arguably the single most important piece in this team, Pedri is the engine that makes this Barcelona team conjure up magic. Without his technical brilliance or creativity, La Blaugrana would not be nearly as dominant as they so regularly are.

RAM: Lamine Yamal

The Barcelona wonderkid was unable to showcase his magic properly last time out against Benfica due to a rather unfortunate red card to Cubarsi. It led to him having to be taken off the pitch earlier than expected, but this game will give him another chance to show off his best version.

A crucial piece for Barcelona when it comes to linking up play between tight spaces, Dani Olmo can thrive even with SL Benfica’s intense pressure. For that reason, he could be a great pick to play against the Portuguese side and possibly find gaps in their structure.

The most impactful player against SL Benfica, Raphinha seems to have a knack for scoring against the Portuguese side. However, even beyond just this particular opponent, there is simply no way that the Brazilian forward misses this game as he has undeniably been one of the world’s best players this season.