Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona lineups: Confirmed team news, predicted XIs, injury latest for Champions League | OneFootball

Both Diego Simeone and Hansi Flick facing selection dilemmas for quarter-final second-leg decider

Barcelona will be without the suspended Pau Cubarsi as they bid to stage a second-leg fightback against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The teenage defender is travelling with Hansi Flick’s squad to the Metropolitano Stadium but will play no part in Tuesday night’s crunch tie between the LaLiga giants having been sent off just before half-time in Barca’s 2-0 home defeat last week.

Barcelona boss Flick was left furious at the decision, and the failure to award his side a second-half penalty for handball against Marc Pubill, who was on a yellow.

Club captain Ronald Araujo will be expected to come into central defence and partner Gerard Martin in the absence of the banned Cubarsi, with Martin set to be available despite being forced off at half-time in the 4-1 LaLiga thrashing of rivals Espanyol at the Camp Nou and replaced by Marc Casado.

Pedri is fit after going off at half-time with thigh discomfort against Atletico in the first leg, recovering to play 90 minutes on Saturday in a match in which Spain midfield colleague Gavi made his first club start for 11 months and Araujo got the nod at right-back.

Joan Garcia will continue in goal, with Jules Kounde restored at right-back after a rest, Araujo likely shifting inside to partner Martin and Joao Cancelo returning at left-back after Alejandro Balde made his first start since recovering from injury at the weekend.

Eric Garcia is another option at centre-back, though has been utilised in midfield plenty. Gavi’s return to full fitness gives Flick further food for thought, as does Frenkie de Jong’s return from a hamstring issue.

In attack, Lamine Yamal is a guaranteed starter. Marcus Rashford, Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski all started alongside him in the first leg, with Fermin Lopez, Gavi and Ferran Torres then starting against Espanyol.

Torres scored an early brace before further goals from Yamal and substitute Rashford, which could give him the edge up front.

The exact combination Flick opts for on Tuesday remains to be seen, though it will surely be an attack-minded lineup as his side seek to overturn that two-goal deficit.

Jan Oblak has returned to training for Atletico Madrid before Barcelona come to town

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Raphinha is still sidelined with a hamstring injury, with Andreas Christensen also out and Marc Bernal reportedly only fit enough for a cameo off the bench.

As for Atletico, long-time No1 goalkeeper Jan Oblak was back in training on Monday along with midfielder Pablo Barrios, though Jose Maria Gimenez was still absent.

It remains to be seen if Oblak returns or if Diego Simeone keeps deputy Juan Musso in goal.

Pubill is suspended and David Hancko a doubt with an ankle injury that forced him off after half an hour of the first leg.

That could lead to former Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet starting alongside Robin Le Normand at centre-back.

Diego Simeone made 10 changes for Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Sevilla in LaLiga with full focus now on the Champions League, resting all his outfield starters as only Musso kept his place.

Predicted Barcelona XI: J Garcia; Kounde, Araujo, Martin, Cancelo; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Lopez, Rashford; Torres

Suspended: Cubarsi