The Barça plays the European future in front of the Inter

The Barça plays the European future in front of the Inter

Xavi's men, with no margin for error, want to maintain their options to continue in the 'Champions' before the Clásico

BARCELONA, 11 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

FC Barcelona receives Inter Milan this Wednesday at the Spotify Camp Nou (9:00 p.m.), in a fourth day of the Champions League group stage that is presented as an early and unexpected final for the Catalans, forced to win if they want to keep their chances of continuing in the top continental competition.

With the German Bayern Munich highlighted with full of victories, Xavi Hernández's men face their now direct rival for the second ticket in the group to the round of 16, an Inter that already put him on the ropes in San Siro last Wednesday and that wants to detonate the economic and sporting chaos of a club in reconstruction. And all this days before playing the Clásico against Real Madrid this Sunday.

For Barça there is no other option than to win. Three essential points that he has not been able to achieve in his visits to Munich and Milan. For this reason, with the Munich team visiting in two weeks, it is played with two cards at a Camp Nou that must be key to regaining confidence, good play and, above all, the goals of a team with wet gunpowder.

The capital exhibitions that the Catalan team was used to at the beginning of the season have disappeared. Not even in LaLiga Santander, where he remains undefeated with just one goal against, has he been able to dissociate his continental impotence from his characteristic offensive deployment in domestic competition. As a consequence, two victories by the minimum against Mallorca and Celta that warn of an alarmism that could explode in the Champions League.

A victory for Barça would equalize the fight between the two teams, where the 'neroazzurri' have 6 points, three more than a team that so far has only been able to beat the Czech Viktoria Plzen in its debut with a landslide (5-1), which meant the first 'hat-trick' of a Robert Lewandowski in 'crisis'.

The international team break seems to have extinguished the scoring flame of the Pole, who has accumulated two games without seeing a door. Now, Lewandowski wants to shine again with his own light, as he has already done in a month and a half of competition with his 11 goals and being key in his first advanced 'final' as a Barça player.

With the same objective as the former Bayern player, Ousmane Dembélé will return to an eleven in which effectiveness is expected in his overflow and determination in his punch. The Frenchman will surely form a pair of extremes with Raphinha, who did not have the best night of him in San Siro missing in action in the midfield. Where there will be no doubts will be in the midfield.

The defeat (1-0) in Milan left Barça untouched, which based a large part of its options on lateral centers that left Pedri and Gavi without inside play. This time, both will try to strengthen the good game accompanied by Sergio Busquets. In the defensive defense, the doubts increase. Without Koundé, Christensen, Araújo and Héctor Bellerín, the pair of central defenders points to Gerard Piqué and Eric García, after the latter rotated against Celta due to Marcos Alonso being out of position.

On the defensive flanks, Alejandro Balde, right-back on Sunday, could repeat in that position and leave room on the left for Jordi Alba or Marcos Alonso, or change and open the door to Sergi Roberto's ownership.

For its part, Inter will arrive again depleted to the crucial duel by not recovering any of their injuries. Thus, Simone Inzaghi will be without Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku or Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic. Casualties to which the Argentine Joaquín Correa is added, with discomfort in the patellar tendon of his left knee since the duel against the Catalan team.

After their victory in 'Champions', the Italians did their homework in Serie A with a brace from Edin Dzeko, who could enter the eleven alongside Lautaro Martínez if Inzaghi bets on two forwards or if he decides to reinforce himself with another midfielder like Gagliardini and leaves the Argentine alone at the top.

Hakan Calhanoglu, scorer of the goal that Giuseppe Mezza celebrated, will try to surprise Ter Stegen once again with his powerful shot. The Turk could be accompanied by his faithful squires Barella and Mkhitaryan, with Dimarco and Darmian as cheek pieces; and Skriniar, De Vrij and Bastoni as defensive walls ready to 'dry' the local attack again.

FC BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Bucket, Pique, Eric Garcia, Robert; Pedri, Busquets, Gavi, Raphinha, Lewandowski and Dembélé.

INTER MILAN: Onana, Skriniar, De Vrij, Bastoni, Darmian; Barella, Çalhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Lautaro Martinez and Dzeko.

--ÁRBITRO: Szymon Marciniak (POL)

--STADIUM: Spotify Camp Nou.

--TIME: 21.00/Movistar Champions League