Champions League 2024-2025: Barcelona-Benfica, the likely lineups

Barcelona-Benfica, the probable formations

Barcelona-Benfica, return leg of the Champions League round of 16, è scheduled for 6:45 p.m. After the 1-0 away win, Flick’s team goes into the return leg with a double advantage over the Portuguese, two results out of three at their disposal and the boost of their home crowd. The Blaugrana owe much to Raphinha and Szczesny, decisive in the painful but winning first leg.

Hansi Flick will take the field with the usual 4-2-3-1, relying on Szczesny between the posts and a defensive line composed of Koundé, Araujo, Martínez and Baldé. In the midfield the technical duo Pedri-De Jong will have the task of orchestrating the game, while in the three-quarter space will be given to the quality of Yamal, Olmo and Raphinha in support of the’only forward Lewandowski.

Lage takes the field with a 3-4-2-1 that relies on the defensive compactness led by Otamendi, the midfield dynamism of Aursnes and Kökçü, and the creativity of Aktürkoğlu and Schjelderup to support Pavlidis, the only offensive reference.

Probable lineups

Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Koundè, Araujo, Martinez, Balde; Pedri, De Jong; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski. All Flick.

Benfica (3-4-2-1): Trubin; A. Silva, Otamendi, Dahl; Araujo, Barreiro, Kokcu, Aursnes; Akturkoglu, Schjelderup; Pavlidis. All Lage.