**No one player is bigger than a team; there's no question about that, but some players can be very notable by their absence, and Newcastle United will be hoping that's going to be the case for Barcelona.**
As Newcastle fans know, when a single key player is missing, it can really throw off a side. Newcastle's record when Bruno Guimaraes hasn't played is abysmal. This season, we've really struggled without Alexander Isak up front.
Therefore, it was a nice ray of hope when it was reported that Barcelona's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal could miss the Champions League clash with Newcastle after returning from international duty with Spain in much worse condition than when he went.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick was furious with Spain after they administered painkillers to Yamal and sent him out to play over 70 minutes in both games during the international break, despite the youngster's clear discomfort.
> [](https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/1968225938090713528)
Lamine Yamal's absence is a psychological boost to Newcastle
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Now that Barcelona have confirmed their 22-man squad to come to Tyneside, we have confirmation that the game has come too soon for Yamal to feature.
Barcelona are by no means a one-man team, and the absence of Lamine Yamal is just a little bonus for Newcastle fans to cling to, but they have plenty of other threats available to them, none more worrying than Ferran Torres, who has four goals in three appearances at St James' Park. Three of those goals came in one game when Manchester City ultimately beat Newcastle 4-3.
On the flip side, they have welcomed back 28-year-old Dutchman Frenkie De Jong after his recent injury issue.
Hansi Flick has plenty of talent to call upon
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We imagine that De Jong won't be thrown in from the start if he's just coming back from injury, but as with Yamal, it's not as if Hansi Flick is short of quality.
It's going to be such a fascinating game, purely in terms of seeing just how far off the big boys Newcastle actually are.
There's nothing to say we can't get a result here. It's almost impossible to call. The excitement is just too much.