Barcelona are aiming to secure their third win of the league phase when they visit Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Hansi Flick’s side bounced back from their 2–1 defeat in El Clásico by beating Elche 3–1 in La Liga at the weekend, but Real Madrid’s emphatic 4–0 victory over Valencia means the Catalans remain five points adrift of their rivals at the summit.
The start of their title defense has been hindered by key injuries and off-field distractions, but two more wins leading into the third international break of the season will leave Barça in a pretty good spot.
The five-time European champions were beaten by holders Paris Saint-Germain in Gameweek 2, but victories over Newcastle United and Olympiacos means they currently sit ninth in the league phase table. Brugge, meanwhile, started superbly by battering Monaco 4–1, but they’ve since succumbed away from home to Atalanta and Bayern Munich.
Domestically, Nicky Hayen’s side are trailing Union Saint-Gilloise in the Belgian Pro League, having finished behind the Brussels-based outfit last season. This is their first encounter with Barcelona since 2002.
The hosts were gutted in the summer, and are without a couple of notable names for Barcelona’s visit.
Starting goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is likely to miss out with a groin issue, while Ludovit Reis is out until after the international break with a shoulder issue. Raphael Onyedika, who impressed in this competition last season alongside Ardon Jashari in midfield, is also absent.
Christos Tzolis has stepped up big time for the hosts in the wake of their summer departures, and he’s the man Barça will need to contain if they’re to record their third win of the league phase in Belgium.
There hasn’t been much change on the injury front for Barcelona since Sunday’s win over Elche, with Pedri and Raphinha among their notable absentees.
Both should be back in action after the international break, with the latter suffering a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury ahead of El Clásico. Pedri sustained his knock in the 2–1 defeat to Real Madrid.
Andreas Christensen is training alone as he steps up his recovery from a muscle issue, but the Dane hasn’t been named in Flick’s travelling squad. Barça are also without goalkeepers Joan García and Marc-André ter Stegen, as well as midfielder Gavi.
Pau Cubarsí and Robert Lewandowski could be recalled after starting Sunday’s win on the bench.
Barcelona predicted lineup vs. Club Brugge (4-2-3-1): Szczęsny; Koundé, Araújo, Cubarsí, Martín; Casadó, De Jong; Yamal, López, Rashford; Lewandowski.
