FC Barcelona now welcome Italian side Atalanta to the Montjuic Stadium for their final outing in the UEFA Champions League’s initial league phase. While La Blaugrana have already secured direct progression towards the round of 16, Atalanta still have to fight for that privilege. However, Barcelona will not go down without a fight.
With some key players rested or unavailable against Valencia, this game should give Hansi Flick the chance to truly test out a strong starting eleven. After all, Barcelona will want to finish in second place at the very least, and that requires a strong lineup.
Here is how Barcelona could line up for the game against Atalanta.
Expected Lineup:
Goalkeeper: Wojciech Szczesny
Hansi Flick already seems to trust the Polish veteran as his primary goalkeeper now, and that could lead to Wojciech Szczesny starting against Atalanta. While he has made some risky errors recently, another opportunity in the UEFA Champions League may help him redeem himself.
Right-back: Jules Kounde
The Frenchman remains one of Hansi Flick’s most relied upon players this season, and for good reason. With Jules Kounde in the starting eleven, Barcelona look a lot better in defense as well as on the attack.
Centre-back: Ronald Araujo
Rested against Valencia as Eric Garcia started in his stead, Ronald Araujo should now be fully
prepared to return to the starting eleven for Barcelona, and a game in the Champions League is something that the Uruguayan defender will certainly not want to miss.
Centre-back: Pau Cubarsi
The young Spanish centre-back continues to produce magic from the backline, and Barcelona will be hoping for more of the same against a rather resilient Atalanta side. With Cubarsi’s talents, however, Barcelona should have a good fighting chance in terms of breaking down the opposition’s structure.
Left-back: Alejandro Balde
So far so good, Alejandro Balde has been brilliant since the start of the new year. His last few performances have shown him play his best football in quite some time, and it seems that Flick has managed to tap into even more of his potential.
CDM: Marc Casado
A fierce warrior in the midfield, Marc Casado is exactly the kind of tenacious, and dedicated player that Barcelona needed. Now, alongside Gavi and the other young midfielders, Casado finds himself in elite company.
CDM: Pedri
With Pedri now clear to take part in the game against Atalanta, there is no reason for him to not start. Interestingly, his recent illness may have just allowed him to get the extra rest he needed.
However, that would mean that Frenkie de Jong would likely have to start on the bench in this game. With the €45 million-rated midfielder having a good run of form, it would undoubtedly be a hard pill to swallow for him if it does end up happening.
RAM: Lamine Yamal
The boy wonder continues to amaze, and even when he does not score or grab an assist, he is simply magical to watch. Able to make opponents drift around in circles, he is truly a joy to watch and makes Barcelona so much better.
CAM: Fermin Lopez
A superb, and frankly historically significant performance against Valencia has allowed Fermin Lopez to give Hansi Flick a real selection headache. However, for his near-perfect performance, he deserves some extra minutes again.
LAM: Raphinha
The Brazilian forward keeps on getting the scoresheet for Barcelona and his numbers only continue to improve. Leading the team like a true captain now, it would be quieter unusual to see Hansi Flick field any player other than him in his starting eleven.
Centre-forward: Robert Lewandowski
Ferran Torres proved in the last game that he is an effective alternative to Robert Lewandowski, but the Polish striker remains the top scorer in both the UEFA Champions League and La Liga for a reason. His killer instincts are exactly what Barcelona need, and he just needs to bring his best version forward.
