Barcelona will look to secure a direct spot in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 with a dominant win over FC Copenhagen on the final matchday of the league phase.
While Barcelona will be eyeing a spot in the last 16, FC Copenhagen will be looking to qualify for the knockout rounds with a win over the reigning La Liga champions at Parken on Wednesday.
The home team are ninth on the table with 13 points in their seven outings. The Blaugrana have won four, drawn one, and lost two so far. After two straight wins in the UEFA Champions League, they are on the verge of breaking into the top eight.
Since Barcelona are level on points with eighth-placed Chelsea and there is not much between the two teams in terms of goal difference, a comfortable win should be enough to get Hansi Flick’s team a spot straight in the round of 16.
Meanwhile, the visitors are 26th on the UEFA Champions League table, with eight points in their seven outings, thanks to two wins, two draws and three defeats. They are level on points with the team in 24th place, and a win here should be more than enough to secure a knockout slot.
After a poor start to their Champions League campaign, FC Copenhagen have been unbeaten in their last three matches (W2 D1). They are heading into this fixture on the back of a hard-fought draw against Napoli despite going down to ten men. The Danish champions will certainly be confident about their chances against the Catalan giants. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Barcelona
The Catalan giants will be without the services of Ferran Torres (muscular), Gavi (knee), Pedri (hamstring), and Andreas Christensen (ACL) because of injury. Meanwhile, Frenkie de Jong is suspended for this fixture.
Barcelona will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Joan Garcia will be in goal. Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde will feature as the full-backs, while Pau Cubarsi will pair up with Gerard Martin in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Marc Casado could replace the suspended de Jong. He will form the double pivot alongside Eric Garcia in the centre of the park. The duo will look to shield the backline and control the tempo of the game.
Lamine Yamal and Raphinha will feature on the flanks, providing width to their attacks. Fermin Lopez will take up the number ten role, while Robert Lewandowski will lead the line for Barcelona against FC Copenhagen on Wednesday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Joan Garcia; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martin, Balde; Eric Garcia, Casado; Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Barcelona vs FC Copenhagen Predicted XI
FC Copenhagen
The visitors will be without the services of Thomas Delaney, who is suspended, having picked up a red card last time out. Meanwhile, Rodrigo Huescas and Magnus Mattsson remain on the sidelines because of knee injuries.
Copenhagen will line up in a 4-4-2 formation, where Dominik Kotarski will take charge in goal. Birger Meling and Marcos Lopez will feature as the full-backs, while Gabriel Pereira will pair up with Junnosuke Suzuki in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Mohamed Elyounoussi and Jordan Larsson will feature as the wide players. Meanwhile, Mads Emil Madsen and Viktor Claesson will be the two central midfielders in the centre of the park.
The four-man FC Copenhagen midfield will have a lot of defending to do against a star-studded Barcelona attack. In the final third, Andreas Cornelius will pair up with Viktor Dadason as the strike partnership.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Kotarski; Meling, Gabriel, Suzuki, Lopez; Elyounoussi, Madsen, Claesson, Larsson; Cornelius, Dadason
Barcelona vs FC Copenhagen Predicted XI
Key Stats
Barcelona and FC Copenhagen are all set to square off against each other for the third time. The last time the two teams faced each other was back in the 2010/11 UEFA Champions League campaign (1-1 draw).
Barcelona have the third-best attack in the UEFA Champions League, having scored 18 goals in seven games.
Only Ajax, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Kairat Almaty have conceded more goals than FC Copenhagen in the ongoing UEFA Champions League campaign.
Barcelona have only lost one out of their last six matches across competitions (W5).
Jordan Larsson has netted three goals in the UEFA Champions League this season, the joint most by a Copenhagen player in a single season. It is also the joint-best scoring season by his father in the competition, Henrik Larsson, who scored three in six games for Celtic in 2001/02.
Player to Watch
Robert Lewandowski
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Lewandowski might be in the final phase of his career, but he remains an integral part of Hansi Flick’s team. At 37, he has been involved in 24 matches, racked up over 1,200 minutes and contributed towards 13 goals (11 goals, 2 assists).
While he has had limited game time this season, the Polish international has made the most out of every opportunity. Since he only has one goal in his six UEFA Champions League outings this term, Lewandowski will be eager to add to his tally in this game.
Prediction
Barcelona 2-0 FC Copenhagen
Barcelona will approach this final league-phase fixture with clear intent, knowing a strong home performance could secure them a direct route into the round of 16. Despite several key absences, the Catalan giants still boast enough attacking firepower and depth to dominate possession and consistently trouble FC Copenhagen.
The visitors arrive in decent form and will take confidence from their recent unbeaten run, but coping with Barcelona’s intensity over 90 minutes at this stage of the competition is a different challenge altogether. If Hansi Flick’s men are clinical in the final third, they should be able to pull clear and seal a controlled, comfortable victory. The Hard Tackle predicts a comfortable 2-0 win for the home side.