Flick Makes A Big Decision

FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick will indeed make some rotations when his side travels to Leganes in La Liga on Saturday night.

Whether the manager would do so this weekend, or in Dortmund on Tuesday has been a matter of debate among fans and pundits.

Barca nurses just a four-point advantage at the summit of the Spanish top flight, which makes this fixture in Butarque a must-win.

If it comes out second best, Barca could then see Real Madrid beat Alaves on Sunday and cut the lead to just a single point with a Montjuic installment of El Clasico on the horizon on either May 10 or 11.

Barca’s 4-0 first leg thrashing of last year’s Champions League runners-up which lost to Madrid at Wembley means that it has some breathing room in a quarterfinal decider on German soil in a few days.

Flick insists that Barca is far from home and dry, though, and wouldn’t fall into the trap of saying which of the next two outings is the most important at a prematch press conference on Friday afternoon.

“Before each game we consider the next one to be the most important. Tomorrow we play away from home against an opponent who defends very well and it is important that we always maintain the same mentality as if it were a Champions League match. It’s important to stay mentally strong,” he said.

As for whether he will make rotations in Leganes, Flick stated: “As a coach I don’t confirm anything. We have to take into account that we have to make changes because there are many games. It’s important to give players some rest from time to time.”

Even so, he is expected to do that. While Wojciech Szczesny starts in goal, Ronald Araujo and Gerard Martin come in for Inigo Martinez and Alejandro Balde respectively on the back line.

Cubarsi keeps his place to partner the Uruguayan in central defense, while Jules Kounde remains the right back.

Flick doesn’t see it necessary to rest either Pedri or Frenkie de Jong in the double pivot, but Ferran replaces Raphinha on the left wing while Gavi takes Fermin Lopez’s CAM berth.

Lamine could arguably do with a rest more than most, but he continues on the right wing as does Robert Lewandowski as a lone striker.

FC Barcelona Starting XI Vs. Leganes: Szczesny; Martin, Cubarsi, Araujo, Kounde; Pedri, De Jong; Ferran, Gavi, Lamine; Lewandowski