Predicted XIs Real Oviedo-Barcelona: Hansi Flick backed to make four changes | OneFootball

Real Oviedo host Barcelona at 21:30 CEST on Thursday night, with the hosts hoping to score a major scalp at the Nuevo Carlos Tartiere. The Blaugrana are heavy favourites, and will need to win to keep pace with Real Madrid, five points ahead of them as things stand.

Los Carbayones come into the game seeking just their second result of their season, having won just one of their opening five fixtures. That did come at home to Real Sociedad, and they suffered defeat to Elche over the weekend. Meanwhile Barcelona have won four of their five games, dropping points to Rayo Vallecano.

Hansi Flick backed to make four changes

The Blaugrana are coming off a 3-0 win over Getafe at home, and MD back Flick to put out a strong team, but rotate four players in. Marc Casado, Ronald Araujo, Marcus Rashford and Dani Olmo are backed to replace Frenkie de Jong, Andreas Christensen, Robert Lewandowski and Fermin Lopez.

Yet Sport feel it will be Ferran Torres and Eric Garcia who are rested, with Lewandowski keeping his place over Torres. In that case, Araujo would replace Garcia, partnering Christensen. Barcelona are without Fermin Lopez after his injury was confirmed, who joins Gavi, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Alejandro Balde and Lamine Yamal on the sidelines.

Real Oviedo: Back four or back five?

Meanwhile Veljko Paunovic has his own injury issues to contend with, as Oviedo are without Ovie Ejaria, David Costas and Nacho Vidal. For the most part, Paunovic has selected four at the back with Salomon Rondon leading the line, and Haissem Hassan and Ilyas Chaira either side. It remains to be seen if he seeks a more defensive setup, but notably he did move to a back three against Real Madrid at home in their second game of the season – although that did end in a 3-0 defeat, there was only a goal in it until the final 10 minutes.