Flick's main doubts before the match concern the goalkeeper and the replacement of the absent Dani Olmo.
As the Benfica-Barça match approaches this Tuesday at 3pm EST, the biggest question mark in Hansi Flick's lineup seems to be the goalkeeper position.
The Blaugrana are aiming to secure their direct qualification for the Round of 16, which they will achieve with a win at the Benfica Stadium, a venue that many Benfica fans still call Da Luz due to its proximity to the legendary stadium.
Dani Olmo's absence due to muscle problems has somewhat clarified the Blaugrana's starting XI. Koundé, Araújo, Cubarsí and Balde – who played a great game in Getafe despite racist insults – will form the defense. Pedri and Gavi are permanent fixtures in midfield. Casadó is initially expected to be the defensive midfielder.
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The expected intensity for Tuesday's match in Lisbon favors the youth product over De Jong, who has, however, gone a step further at Getafe and is now competing for a starting spot. The attacking line is defined by Lamine, Lewandowski and Raphinha, whose impressive statistics justify their untouchable status. Ferran awaits his chance on the bench, and Fermín may also get some minutes in the second half. These two, together with De Jong, are the likely substitutes.
But the biggest uncertainty lies in the position of the goalkeeper. Flick's almost excessive praise for Szczesny yesterday could be a tactic to boost his confidence as Iñaki Peña remains the starter. However, recent press conferences indicate a possible rotation of the target. Szczesny started in the semi-finals and finals of the Supercopa.
His red card forced Flick to play Peña against Betis in the Copa del Rey, and the Alicante native went on to play in La Liga. If Szczesny starts, it could mean a scenario where the Polish goalkeeper plays in knockout tournaments while Peña handles La Liga duties. This formation has not been seen at Barça since the 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons, when Bravo played in La Liga and Ter Stegen in the Copa and Champions League.
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