Confusion over Rodri's replacement: Barcelona's expected line-up for the Atletico clash
Flick faces a difficult test
Hansi Flick lost Rodri last Tuesday during the clash against Aston Villa, the player sustaining a hamstring injury that will keep him off the pitch for close to a month.
That ruling him out of tonight's crucial trip to the Metropolitano, Barcelona face Atletico Madrid with top spot in La Liga on the line.
Not all the news is bad
The news isn't all bad for the German coach. He can count on Eric Garcia and Andreas Christensen for the match, with both handed medical clearance.
Garcia picked up his injury against Real Betis on 17 October, damaging the rectus femoris muscle in his right thigh. Doctors expected him out for three to four weeks. Yet the Spanish defender recovered in just three, and he is now fit enough even to start, as Flick suggested during yesterday's press conference.
Christensen's story runs differently. The Danish defender had started the season in fine form before going down in Seville on 19 September, injuring the rectus femoris muscle of the quadriceps in his left leg. The prognosis pencilled him in for around six weeks out, a spell that ends this week. He will be at the Metropolitano, but Flick won't risk throwing him on.
Two defenders back, then, for a backline ravaged by injuries. Txavi Espart and Jules Koundé remain on the treatment table too, according to a report by the newspaper Sport.
A new solution at right-back: and confirmed players
With injuries piling up and Baldé seeing little game time, Flick turned to an unexpected fix: Bryan Gil at right-back. Will the German stick with the former Valencia man against Metropolitano? Or will he gamble on Eric García? Either way, Pau Cubarsí, Gerard Martín and João Cancelo look set to complete the back line.
Who could replace Rodri?
Who partners Rodri is another of the riddles facing Barcelona, and it matters all the more in a fixture the size of Atletico Madrid. Flick turned to Marc Bernal against Aston Villa, and the youngster delivered a fine second half alongside Pedri.
Bernal now finds himself in a straight fight with Frenkie de Jong. The Dutchman has started to see more minutes since recovering from the injury he picked up at the 2026 World Cup.
Up front, expect Fermin Lopez to pull the strings as playmaker, with Lamine Yamal on the right, Raphinha through the middle and Gordon on the left. Ademi could also get a look-in after being left out entirely against Aston Villa in the Champions League.
Barcelona's expected line-up against Atletico Madrid
The newspaper Mundo Deportivo have put forward a predicted Barcelona line-up for today's clash with Atletico Madrid on matchday 12 of La Liga, setting them up in a 4-2-3-1 as follows:
Goalkeeper: Joan Garcia.
Defence: Brian Farinas, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Joao Cancelo.
Midfield: Marc Bernal, Pedri/ Fermin Lopez, Anthony Gordon.
Attack: Raphinha.
Atlético Madrid's expected line-up against Barcelona
Cristian Romero, meanwhile, remains sidelined for Atlético Madrid with a muscle injury, and Johnny Cardoso is also out with thigh pain.
Morten Hjulmand comes back into the side after sitting out the Bayern Munich clash. Lee Kang-in could return to the starting line-up alongside Julián Álvarez.
The newspaper expects Simeone to set his side up in a 4-4-2:
Goalkeeper: Oblak.
Defence: Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, David Hancko, Javi Galán.
Midfield: Giuliano Simeone, Pablo Barrios, Morten Hjulmand, Álex Baena.
Attack: Lee Kang-in, Julián Álvarez.
