Flick Makes A Huge Call

FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick will make a huge call by putting Inigo Martinez straight back into his starting XI for Wednesday’s Champions League quarterfinals first leg clash against Borussia Dortmund.

The Basque missed Saturday’s frustrating 1-1 draw to Real Betis because of a minor injury picked up in the Copa del Rey semifinals showdown with Atletico Madrid, which set up a thrilling final versus Real Madrid.

On Monday, though, it was widely reported that Inigo had returned to training with the rest of the group and was in line for selection.

Whether Flick would be brave and take a punt on the veteran by throwing him straight into the back line was another matter entirely, though.

But we should know the German by now, who will do just that by partnering Inigo with Pau Cubarsi.

Wojciech Szczesny is of course the goalkeeper, and the back line is completed by Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde on the left and right flanks respectively.

With Marc Casado out injured for the rest of the season, it is the same double pivot duo of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong.

They sit behind a Raphinha who Flick insists is fine after his outburst at the weekend, Fermin who replaces Gavi, and wonderboy Lamine Yamal who should have arguably been rested against Betis.

Up top, Robert Lewandowski gets the nod as the lone striker, against one of the clubs he is most commonly associated with and rose to fame playing for in this competition well over a decade ago.

As for Flick, he also has previous with Dortmund in a sense given that its coach is a former colleague in Nico Kovac.

“I’m not sure if it’s good to have worked with Kovac,” Flick confessed, at a prematch press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

“I know things about him, but we have to be prepared. I have a lot of appreciation for him, he is a very good person and I am excited to see him tomorrow,” he added.

Given that both outfits go for broke in terms of attacking, we could be in for a goalfest in Montjuic that is the pick of the ties across the UCL last eight.

FC Barcelona Starting XI Vs. Borussia Dortmund: Szczesny; Balde, Inigo, Cubarsi, Kounde; Pedri, De Jong; Raphinha, Fermin, Lamine; Lewandowski