Barcelona's starting lineup is set to look a little different against Monaco.
Hansi Flick kicks off his first Champions League campaign with the Spanish giants at the Stade Louis II. The manager got Barcelona off to a perfect start in La Liga despite injuries to Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, Ronald Araújo, Ansu Fati and Marc Bernal. The arrival of Dani Olmo helped the Catalans surge to the top of the Spanish league, but the midfielder is the latest Barcelona player stuck on the sidelines.
Olmo injured his right hamstring against Girona at the weekend and will be out for up to six weeks. As Flick gears up for his first European test against the unbeaten Monaco, he must decide who will start in place of his blockbuster signing.
Here's what Barcelona's XI could look like against Monaco in the club's Champions League opener.
Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Monaco (4-2-3-1)
GK: Marc-André ter Stegen – The German keeper will hope to record just his second clean sheet in his 2024–25 campaign with Barcelona.
RB: Jules Koundé – The Frenchman is the unsung hero of this Barcelona side. From his link-up play in the attack to his defensive work in his own half, Koundé is one of Flick's most trustworthy players.
CB: Pau Cubarsí – The 17-year-old went from winning gold with Spain at the Paris Olympics to starting at center-back for Hansi Flick.
CB: Iñigo Martínez – Martínez brings experience and reliability to a young backline.
LB: Alejandro Balde – Against Monaco, the defender will earn his 85th cap for Barcelona at just 20 years old.
DM: Marc Casadó – After Marc Bernal tore his ACL, Casadó has started alongside Pedri. The 21-year-old recorded his first assist of the season in Barcelona's match against Girona.
DM: Pedri – The midfielder is one of Flick's most consistent players and proved this weekend that he can push forward and find the back of the net just as well as he executes his defensive duties.
RW: Lamine Yamal – Fresh off becoming the youngest player in La Liga history to score a first-half brace, Yamal will continue his quest to find his first ever Champions League goal.
AM: Raphinha – Just two weeks removed from scoring his first hat trick, Raphinha will slot into Dani Olmo's role behind Lewandowski. Although the Brazilian prefers the left-wing, he proved in Barcelona's first three La Liga matches that he can also thrive as a No. 10.
LW: Ferran Torres – All signs point to Torres getting the nod on the left-wing despite the Spaniard's recent run of unimpressive performances. Flick will likely save Ansu Fati, who just returned from injury, as an option off the bench.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Monaco – Champions League.
