FC Barcelona vs. Espanyol: Flick makes rotations

On By Littum

FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick will rotate midfield and defense when his side host rivals Espanyol in Montjuic for a La Liga clash on Sunday.

With tragic flooding causing more than 200 deaths in the Valencia region, Flick showed a preference for suspending the match in question at his pre-match press conference on Saturday afternoon.

“It is not easy to make a decision on what to do. It already happened three years ago in Germany. We support all those concerned, but it is a matter for La Liga (to decide),” he said when he was first spoken on the subject.

However, at another point in his meeting with reporters and journalists, Flick was more firm when he said: “If I could make the decision, maybe I would because it is a tragedy for Valencia and for Spain as a whole,” regarding . suspension of matches throughout the country.

As things stand, however, Barca will actually take to the field at 4.15pm local time and Flick insisted he knows “what a Barca-Espanyol derby entails”.

“It will certainly be a tough match. After a fantastic week, it is important to be one hundred percent tomorrow, with intensity and maximum quality,” emphasized the German.

Although tight-lipped about rotations, Flick is expected to make it through three games in 12 days before the next international break, and will at least do so in midfield.

This means that Dani Olmo will start, even if neither Pedri nor Marc Casado is rested. Fermin Lopez – fresh from signing a new contract – loses his place.

The rest of the team looks almost identical to the one that beat Bayern Munich and Real Madrid 4-1 and 0-4 respectively last week.

It finds Inaki Pena in net protected by a back line of Alejandro Balde, Inigo Martinez, Pau Cubarsi, but Jules Konde is replaced by Hector Fort at right back.

While on the frontline, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal continue to form one of club football’s most lethal attacking trios.

It will be interesting to see how many minutes substitute De Jong gets with an impressive 45 at the Bernabeu the most he has played this season.

At some point, Gavi may also enjoy more time on the pitch after three brief cameos in Barca’s last three outings.

FC Barcelona vs. Espanyol Starting XI: Pena; Balde, Inigo, Cubarsi, Fort; Casado, Pedri, Olmo; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Yamal