Three Barcelona stars at suspension risk heading into UCL clash vs FC Copenhagen | OneFootball

FC Barcelona face a decisive night this Wednesday at the Spotify Camp Nou as they look to secure direct qualification to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League.

The Blaugrana have the chance to finish in the top eight and avoid the play-off round, although they do not depend solely on themselves, as a win against FC Copenhagen may not be enough.

Three players at suspension risk

Heading into the match, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has three players who are one booking away from suspension.

If they receive a yellow card, they would miss the first leg of either the play-offs or the Round of 16 – depending on where the team finishes.

The three players in question are: Fermin Lopez, Gerard Martin and Marc Casado.

All three young players have accumulated two yellow cards during the league phase of the Champions League and are therefore at risk of suspension.

Casado has two yellow cards to his name in the UCL. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Another booking would rule them out of the next match, whether that is a play-off tie or a Round-of-16 fixture, depending on Barcelona’s final position in the table.

If Lamine is booked, he will be at risk again

So far, only two Barcelona players have completed a disciplinary cycle in Europe’s top competition: Lamine Yamal and Frenkie de Jong.

The winger missed last Wednesday’s match against Slavia Prague for that reason, while the Dutch midfielder is unavailable against Copenhagen after receiving his third yellow card in Prague.

UEFA regulations state that the first suspension is triggered after three yellow cards, with subsequent suspensions coming every two additional bookings, at five, seven, nine and so on.

This means that if Lamine Yamal or De Jong receive another yellow card, they would once again be one booking away from suspension until the quarter-finals are completed, as all players have their records cleared ahead of the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, there are four other Barcelona players who have received one yellow card and who would at risk of suspension for the second leg of the play-offs or the Round of 16 if booked against Copenhagen: Dani Olmo, Alejandro Balde, Jules Kounde and Ronald Araujo.

In the case of the Uruguayan defender, who was sent off at Stamford Bridge after receiving two yellow cards, only the first of those cautions counts towards the accumulation.