FC Barcelona Versus Atletico Madrid Preview: Four Major Lineup Changes
Xavi Hernandez will modify his team by introducing Joao Felix, who has been loaned by FC Barcelona.
The head coach of FC Barcelona, Xavi Hernandez, plans to alter four important positions from the team that won against Napoli during the Champions League. These changes will be made for their final La Liga game against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano before the international break.
Xavi expressed that he has observed a rising feeling of positivity within his beloved club ever since they secured their spot in the quarterfinals of the prestigious European competition, which they haven't achieved in four years.
He also mentioned that Paris Saint-Germain, the opponent facing Barcelona, is one of the most challenging teams they could face. Meanwhile, Luis Enrique, who used to be Barcelona's manager and is now at Paris Saint-Germain, said that facing Barcelona was like receiving a gift on Christmas.
Barca won't travel to other countries until next month and they have some important tasks to finish in their own country beforehand.
Girona was defeated by Getafe on Saturday, but winning against Atletico Madrid for the second time in this season will help them grab the second spot by just one point. They will still be eight points behind the leaders, Real Madrid, before international football takes over the calendar.
Xavi will switch up his lineup for the late-night game in Spain, after his team previously triumphed over Napoli with a score of 3-1 and an overall score of 4-2 at the Montjuic Stadium. These changes are expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming match.
The Portuguese player has expressed his fondness for "heated" environments, and the initial player to watch out for in their upcoming game will be the one who managed to score the sole goal during their last encounter - Joao Felix.
Felix, who is currently on loan in Catalonia from his home team Atleti, has regained his position as a left winger, pushing Raphinha back to his previous role and replacing Lamine.
Returning to the defensive setup, Marc-Andre ter Stegen is set to be the goalkeeper and is anticipated to receive support from defenders Joao Cancelo, Pau Cubarsi, Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde.
According to the team roster, Cancelo has encountered an unexpected issue at the eleventh hour and will be substituted with Hector Fort.
The center of the pitch is occupied by a threesome consisting of Ilkay Gundogan, Sergi Roberto who is the team's leader, and Fermin Lopez.
Roberto makes the fourth significant substitution, replacing Andreas Christensen.
As previously stated, the forward trio consists of Joao Felix positioned on the left side while Robert Lewandowski occupies the space between him and Raphinha, who is playing on the right.
The lineup for FC Barcelona's game against Atletico Madrid consists of the following: Ter Stegen as the goalkeeper, with Fort, Cubarsi, Araujo, and Kounde as defenders. The midfield will be composed of Roberto, Gundogan, and Fermin, while forward positions will be occupied by Felix, Lewandowski, and Raphinha.
