5 FC Barcelona vs 0 Young Boys
Barcelona face Young Boys in UEFA Champions League after weekend defeat.
Barcelona are set to face Young Boys in a crucial UEFA Champions League clash at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, with both sides seeking redemption following disappointing domestic and European performances.
FC Barcelona
Barcelona saw their 100% record in the league come to an end following an upset 4-2 defeat against Osasuna last time out. Lamine Yamal's late strike [89’] off the bench served only as one of two consolation goals for a heavily rotated Hansi Flick side, who struggled to contain a clinical Osasuna attack. This defeat handed the German manager his first league loss in charge.
‘We made a lot of mistakes; we made a lot of rotations for the team, and maybe that's one reason why, but they were necessary. There are a lot of games and a lot of minutes accumulated,’ Flick said after the loss, citing a congested schedule as the reason for the altered starting eleven against Osasuna.
A tightly packed calendar saw the Culers play four matches in less than ten days, including a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Monaco in their Champions League opener two weeks ago. ‘We need to get our first win, but it won't be easy,’ the 59-year-old manager asserted, with the focus shifting to this Tuesday’s crucial UCL encounter against Young Boys in what will be the first meeting between both sides in a European competition.
Currently ranked 22nd in the league phase standings, 14 places from the automatic qualification zone, the five-time European champions will aim to secure a crucial win on Tuesday to enhance their prospects of advancing directly to the knockout stage. Flick will have all three points in his sights heading into this clash, considering a strong record that has seen his side win 16 of their 19 first-time encounters with teams in European competitions.
Additionally, the hosts have won 25 of their 28 opening home games [W25, 2D, 1L] of a UCL campaign. Flick is expected to reinstate the familiar front three of Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, and Yamal in his 4—3—3 formation. Meanwhile, Eric García is ruled out following his 10th-minute red card against Monaco.
Young Boys
Young Boys’ 2024-2025 UCL campaign began with a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa, leaving them in 33rd place on the standings. They will now make the trip to Barcelona, hoping to return as happy travelers.
However, the Swiss side has lost eight of their last 11 away games [0W, 3D, 8L] in the competition.
Patrick Rahmen’s side are heading into Tuesday’s encounter off the back of a disappointing 1-0 league defeat against Grasshopper at the weekend. They will be looking to avoid a second back-to-back loss this season.
Alan Virginius and Joël Monteiro could start in a 4-4-2 against Barça.
Team form
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