In more than a couple of hours, FC Barcelona will block the horns with Atalanta in the last group phase game of the UEFA 2024/25 Champions League in the Olimpic Lluis Company Stadi.
With Barça already ensuring a place between the last eight, the hope is that they get a victory tonight and the Liverpool slips against the PSV Eindhoven, allowing Hansi Flick side to end at the top of the table.
In spite of that, Hansi Flick is expected to make some settings to the initial XI and keep his players fresh ahead of some important games.
New central matching?
As such, Sport reports that Flick is ready to present a new central matching for Barcelona against Atalanta later tonight.
Eric García will begin once again, as he did last Sunday against Valencia. However, this time, he will have a different partner in the central defense.
Ronald Araujo, who rested against Valencia, will return to the initial alignment, and Pau Cubarsi will be the one who will sit.
Garcia had an impressive performance last week against Benfica, scoring a goal as part of his strong performance after arriving as a substitute.
After that, he had a conversation with Flick, where the German informed him that he would not be allowed to leave in the winter transfer window. The manager also assured him that he would continue to have opportunities until the end of the season.
Flick continued his promise when Garcia played the full 90 minutes against Valencia and seems to be ready to start once again against Atalanta.
This will be his fourth appearance in the Champions League this season and his second beginning in the prestigious competition.
However, the Spanish will match Araujo in the heart of the defense tonight instead of the 18 -year -old Cubarsi, who is online for a respite after having appeared largely.