Barcelona's Squad Shake-Up Ahead of Crucial Chelsea Clash
Barcelona are preparing for a critical Champions League encounter against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night, with manager Hansi Flick forced to reshuffle his pack due to several key absences. The highly anticipated match sees both teams fiercely competing for a coveted spot in the tournament's knockout stages.
Injury Blow: Pedri Ruled Out
The Catalan giants have been dealt a significant blow with the confirmation that midfielder Pedri will be unavailable for the trip to west London. According to reports from Spanish outlet Diario AS, the 22-year-old sensation was notably absent from the squad's training session at Ciutat Esportiva on Sunday.
Pedri continues his recovery from a hamstring injury sustained during last month's El Clásico. Despite showing what have been described as 'positive signs' in his rehabilitation, medical staff do not expect him to return to action until next weekend at the very earliest. This season, the Spain international had been a fixture in Barcelona's starting line-up, contributing two goals and one assist in La Liga, in addition to playing a pivotal role in their European campaign before his setback.
Rashford's Timely Return Boosts Barcelona
In more encouraging news for the Spanish champions, Marcus Rashford is expected to rejoin the matchday squad. The Manchester United loanee, who has been in superb form since his summer move to Camp Nou, missed Barcelona's emphatic 4-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday due to a bout of flu.
An official club statement confirmed the illness, but the England international provided a major lift for his team by making a full return to training on Sunday. His availability adds a crucial attacking threat for Barcelona as they face a confident Chelsea side.
The injury list doesn't end with Pedri, however. Barcelona will also be without first-choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and midfielder Gavi for the Stamford Bridge fixture. On a brighter note, the weekend saw the successful returns of Joan Garcia and Raphinha from their respective injury layoffs. Furthermore, Frenkie de Jong, who was suspended for the Bilbao match, is anticipated to be immediately reinstated into the starting eleven against Chelsea.
Chelsea's Confidence Under Maresca
Barcelona face a formidable challenge in a Chelsea team that is currently flying high. Speaking after his side's routine 2-0 Premier League victory against Burnley, Blues manager Enzo Maresca expressed his confidence.
"Yeah, we are confident. We are confident, we are doing well," Maresca stated. "Today we could have done many, many things better, for sure - no doubt - but at the end it was important to win the game. But we are confident and we are ready to prepare for Tuesday."
Maresca also enjoyed the luxury of rotating his squad ahead of the European tie, notably managing the minutes of captain Reece James, who was substituted at half-time as a planned precaution.
"Yes, the idea was especially to manage Reece, this is the reason why he played 45 minutes, it was planned," Maresca explained. "We planned on 45 minutes... I would like Reece to continue - but we need to protect Reece."
This strategic management highlights Chelsea's careful preparation for a match that promises to be a pivotal moment in both clubs' Champions League journeys.
