Crisis before the crunch match! How Barcelona handles injuries and suspensions

Barcelona is set to face Slavia Prague in the Champions League, fully aware that only a victory can keep their hopes alive of advancing to the top eight.

The importance of this match is self-evident, but beyond the sporting pressure, head coach Hansi Flick faces another tricky challenge when selecting his lineup.

The team must not only fight for a win but also carefully manage injury and suspension risks to preserve strength for the crucial final group-stage match at home against Copenhagen.

With qualification prospects extremely tight, Flick must weigh the trade-offs: fielding his strongest possible side to secure victory while avoiding having key players suspended for the decisive match due to accumulated yellow cards.

Currently, Flick has confirmed several absences: Ferran Torres, Gavi, and Christensen are ruled out through injury, while Yamal is suspended.

These absences further limit Flick's tactical options, making the deployment of available players even more critical.

Complicating matters further is the team’s disciplinary situation. Four Barcelona players—De Jong, López, Martín, and Casadó—are each on two yellow cards and thus one booking away from suspension. Any of them receiving another yellow card would miss the pivotal match against Copenhagen.

This issue is particularly pressing for De Jong and Fermín, who are expected to start in Prague. Their roles in midfield are vital to Barcelona’s attacking and defensive structure, making it difficult for Flick to rest them.

Therefore, both players must exercise maximum discipline in this match—especially in what could be a physically intense and fiercely contested encounter.