Ernesto Valverde is without three first-team players as Barcelona prepare to face Inter Milan at San Siro in a Group B tie of the UEFA Champions League.
Barcelona will be hoping to seal top spot in Group B of the UEFA Champions League when they face off against Inter Milan at San Siro on Tuesday night. Manager Ernesto Valverde will be buoyed by the presence of Lionel Messi with the travelling squad in what will be a key European tie.
The Barcelona boss iterated during the pre-match press conference that Inter Milan will pose a major challenge, considering they will step up after their loss in the reverse fixture at Camp Nou last month.
“We would like to win and seal qualification for the knockout stage. It will be a very tough game and there will be a lot at stake, because the prize is an important one. We expect them to have a little more pressing and pressure high up the pitch. They will likely play with the intention of having the ball and following their gameplan.”
Messi’s return means Barcelona are without just three first-team players, with Samuel Umtiti, Thomas Vermaelen and Sergi Samper missing the trip to Milan. Umtiti has returned to training but is still not fully match fit yet, meaning Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet will start at the heart of the defence once again.
The game will be a momentous occasion for Pique, who will complete a century of appearances for Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League. Meanwhile, Jordi Alba has arguably been Barcelona’s best player in the absence of Messi, and should be the left-back for the vistors, while Sergi Roberto is likely to start on the opposite flank.
Behind the backline, Marc-Andre ter Stegen is an automatic selection to man the goal. The midfield unit is pretty settled, with Arthur cementing his place in the first-team setup. Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic are the other two players completing the midfield trio, with the experienced heads bringing a sense of calm in the middle of the park.
Upfront, Luis Suarez is another player who has stepped up in Messi’s absence, and should be focal point of the Barcelona attack. On the left flank, Philippe Coutinho is likely to be given the nod ahead of the underperforming Ousmane Dembele. The final spot in the side should go to the captain, Messi.
The Argentinean wizard had not received the medical all-clear before travelling to Milan. But, Messi has taken part in all of the training session, and should be named in the starting lineup so as to inspire Barcelona to a group clinching win.
