How Barcelona could line-up against Benfica in the UEFA Champions League

How will Barcelona line-up in Xavi's first UEFA Champions League game as manager?
How will Barcelona line-up in Xavi's first UEFA Champions League game as manager?

LW: Gavi

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FC Barcelona v RCD Espanyol - La Liga Santander
FC Barcelona v RCD Espanyol - La Liga Santander

Gavi’s spectacular rise with Barcelona continues and he could weave his charm in the Champions League next. After showing his promise with the Spanish national team and in La Liga, Gavi will look to emulate the heroics on club football's biggest stage.

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Ansu Fati’s absence and the lack of a pure winger meant that Gavi had to start out of position, on the left wing, for Barcelona. But he managed to impress heavily under new manager Xavi’s instructions.

Gavi performed dual roles against Espanyol: he stayed wide to stretch the play and also came inside to overload half-spaces and create chances for his team-mates.

Barcelona used Gavi as a strong 1v1 proponent and he often got behind his marker with quick touches and sharp exchanges. This is something he might also have to do when the Catalan giants face Benfica in the Champions League.

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The La Masia graduate’s intensity and pressing were also efficient. Gavi forced the opposition players into making several errors and recovered the ball eight times. He also won 10 duels on the ground – the most for a player on the night.

Gavi’s intensity will be key, especially in the Champions League, where Barcelona have been put under pressure quite often in recent years.


ST: Memphis Depay

FC Barcelona v RCD Espanyol - La Liga Santander
FC Barcelona v RCD Espanyol - La Liga Santander

Memphis Depay became the first goal-scorer in the Xavi Hernandez era at Barcelona. Although the decision looked to be shoddy, Depay won and converted the penalty against Espanyol.

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Depay started the game centrally but made consistent movement towards both the left and right half-spaces. He either created an overload and combined with the players or made the run for the likes of Busquets, Gavi and Nico Gonzalez to spot.

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Depay also dropped deep as a false nine in the Barcelona derby which allowed De Jong, Ilias and Abde to make runs into space. There are still issues to Depay’s game that Xavi will have to solve with the most important being the way he loses the ball because of a silly touch.

Against Benfica, Depay will likely be up against the duo of Jan Vertonghen and Nicolas Otamendi, who had caused several problems for the Barcelona frontline earlier in the Champions League. The Dutch forward will need support from his wingers and midfielders to overcome the attention of the opposition defenders.

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RW: Yusuf Demir

FC Barcelona v Bayern München: Group E - UEFA Champions League
FC Barcelona v Bayern München: Group E - UEFA Champions League

Yusuf Demir could prove to be the final piece of the puzzle for Barcelona’s Champions League line-up against Benfica. Ilias Akhomach, who started against Espanyol, is carrying a suspension from the UEFA Youth League, while EZ Abde hasn’t been registered for the Champions League.

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This could result in Xavi turning to the only left-footed winger available to him at Barcelona. Demir’s Barcelona career began brightly with an impressive pre-season but has fizzled out too quickly.

The Austrian youngster has played only 192 minutes across all competitions for Barcelona despite injuries to the regulars. However, his natural left-footedness and ability to take on defenders might result in him starting the Champions League game.

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Edited by Nived Zenith
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