Flick’s main doubts ahead of the game concern the goalkeeper and replacing an absent Dani Olmo.
As the Benfica-Barça match approaches this Tuesday at 3:00 PM EST, the biggest question mark in Hansi Flick’s lineup seems to be the goalkeeper position.
The Blaugrana aim to secure their direct qualification to the Round of 16, which they will achieve with a win at Benfica Stadium, a venue many Benfica fans still refer to as Da Luz due to its proximity to the legendary stadium.
The absence of Dani Olmo due to muscle issues has somewhat clarified the Blaugrana’s starting eleven. Koundé, Araújo, Cubarsí, and Balde—who played a stellar game in Getafe despite facing racist insults—will form the defense. Pedri and Gavi are fixtures in the midfield. Initially, Casadó is expected to be the defensive midfielder.
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The intensity anticipated for Tuesday’s match in Lisbon favours the academy product over De Jong, who, however, stepped up in Getafe and is now challenging for a starting spot. The forward line is set with Lamine, Lewandowski, and Raphinha, whose impressive stats justify their untouchable status. Ferran will wait for his chance on the bench, and Fermín might also get some minutes in the second half. These two, along with De Jong, are the likely substitutions.
But the main uncertainty lies in the goalkeeping position. Flick’s almost excessive praise for Szczesny yesterday could be a tactic to boost his confidence, as Iñaki Peña remains the starter. However, recent press conferences suggest a potential rotation in goal. Szczesny started in the Supercopa semifinal and final.
His red card forced Flick to play Peña against Betis in the Copa del Rey, and the Alicante native continued in La Liga. If Szczesny starts, it could signal a scenario where the Polish keeper plays in knockout tournaments while Peña handles La Liga duties. This setup hasn’t been seen at Barça since the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons when Bravo played in La Liga and Ter Stegen in the Copa and Champions League.