Lamine Yamal is a major doubt to face Newcastle in the Champions League opener for Barcelona on Thursday, and is not even expected to travel.
The Magpies won’t be let off lightly, though, as Barca still have a wealth of attacking talent to choose from.
After beating Valencia 6-0 in their last La Liga game, they are unlikely to change their team too much. We have predicted the Barcelona XI to face Newcastle in the Champions League on Thursday.
GK: Joan Garcia
New goalkeeper Garcia is yet to miss a minute this season – the only Barcelona player able to say that.
The new arrival from Espanyol is in line to make his Champions League debut after grabbing two clean sheets so far this term.
RB: Jules Kounde
Barca have used different right-backs in some games this season, but Kounde was the man who started there against Valencia, and played the entire game.
He’s likely to be in the starting XI once again at Newcastle.
CB: Eric Garcia
Garcia has missed just five minutes over the course of the four games so far this season.
His presence in the heart of the defence has been a big factor in the lack of goals conceded by Barcelona this season, and they’ll be aiming to shut Newcastle out.
CB: Pau Cubarsi
Cubarsi has played every game this season except from the 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano – the one game Barca did not win.
Given he was back in defence for the 6-0 thumping of Valencia, it seems unlikely he’ll miss out in the first Champions League game of the campaign.
LB: Gerard Martin
With Alejandro Balde injured, Martin started at left-back against Valencia.
He was substituted for Jofre Torrents, but Martin, 23, is far more likely to start a Champions League game than the 18-year-old.
CM: Pedri
Only the two Garcias have played more often for Barcelona this season than Pedri.
The mainstay in the midfield is likely to remain so given the importance of his role against a useful Newcastle midfield containing Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.
CM: Marc Casado
Casado has started alongside Pedri in two of the four games Barcelona have played this season.
Frenkie de Jong started the other pair and while he is travelling to England with the squad, his recent injury means Casado is more likely than he is to start.
RW: Raphinha
With Yamal injured, 19-year-old Roony Bardghji started against Valencia. But he was given just 45 minutes before he was replaced.
When Raphinha entered the game, he quickly scored his second and third goals of the season, and in a more important game, he’s most likely to start on the right flank than the youngster.
CAM: Fermin Lopez
Lopez was given the nod from the start against Valencia after Raphinha and then Dani Olmo were preferred to him in the No.10 role in the two games prior.
Lopez netted a brace and it seems very unlikely he’ll be prised out of the side after that showing.
LW: Marcus Rashford
With no Yamal and Bardghji not convincing in the last game, Rashford is likely to keep his place on the left flank.
In two starts this season, he has one assist – coming in the last game – and his Champions League record speaks for itself.
The loanee from Manchester United has scored 12 goals and assisted eight more in 37 games in Europe’s elite competition and could well have success against English opposition.
ST: Robert Lewandowski
Ferran Torres has started every Barcelona game up top this season, but Lewandowski is the form striker in the side right now.
He was introduced from the bench against Valencia, and in a 22-minute cameo picked up two goals.
While Torres assisted in that game, he has not scored since the second game of the season, while Lewandowski’s recent returns might well get him the nod.
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