FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick will tinker with his tactical system in midfield when the ... [+]
FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick will tinker with his tactical system in midfield when the Catalans take on Red Star Belgrade away in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Though it is nine points clear of bitter rival Real Madrid at the La Liga summit, Barca didn't get off to the best start on the continent in 2024/2025 by losing 2-1 to Monaco.
Resounding home wins over Young Boys (5-0) and Bayern Munich (4-1) followed, however, and Flick's men now have to navigate what should be a hostile environment in Serbia, and try to get a positive result that will help them enter the top eight of the UCL league phase table.
Flick was critical after Barca dropped off in concentration in the second half of a 3-1 win over Espanyol at the weekend, with his side's goals all scored in the opening 31 minutes.
Having said that, he didn't want to dwell on the past at his prematch press conference on Tuesday evening.
"I don't care about the past, [I care] about the future," Flick said. "We are looking forward, I don't compare with what happened, now it's our time, we want to play, to be successful in the Champions League, to win tomorrow. It's a good day to do it, that's where we focus."
"There are very good teams with the same idea in the Champions League and other competitions, so we have to work hard, follow our path and enjoy every game, be focused on what we want to do and this is what we must do tomorrow," he added at a later point of his sitdown with the media.
As per the names he deploys, Flick won't change much measured against his Espanyol first XI.
While Jules Kounde reclaims his spot from Hector Fort, it is still Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez and Alejandro Balde protecting Inaki Pena's goal.
The midfield three is the same. But rather than Casado sitting behind an advanced Pedri and Dani Olmo, Casado is joined by Pedri by his side while Olmo is a CAM.
The front three is identical that which is arguably the best in Europe at the moment. It consists of Raphinha on the left with Robert Lewandowski in the middle of the Brazilian and Lamine Yamal, who the 'Serbian Messi' has vowed to show up at the Marakana.
FC Barcelona First XI Vs. Red Star Belgrade: Pena; Balde, Inigo, Cubarsi, Kounde; Pedri, Casado, Olmo; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Lamine