Profitable the Copa del Rey after over 4 years is on a large scale. Barcelona, nevertheless, don’t have any time for any such gala festivities.
As certainly one of solely two groups in Europe nonetheless in rivalry to win a treble, the Catalans at the moment are confronted with a large problem within the UEFA Champions League simply days after the Clasico finale within the Cup.
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Certainly, they now stare the primary leg of the UCL semifinal towards Inter Milan within the eye and can play host to the Italian giants tonight in Montjuic. The second leg will probably be performed per week later in Milan.
So much has been mentioned about how the sport would be the hardest problem but for Barcelona given Inter Milan’s compact defence, and Flick must deal with that variable with a comparatively drained squad days after an exhausting finale.
Barça Common brings you three speaking factors forward of Barcelona vs Inter Milan.
Battling fatigue
Barcelona’s win over Actual Madrid within the latest ultimate of the Copa del Rey left the dressing room ecstatic and euphoric over profitable the second trophy of the marketing campaign.
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Concurrently, nevertheless, the sport introduced fatigue to a number of key gamers of the workforce understandably so given how the sport progressed.
Whereas Barcelona have been dominant for the higher a part of the sport, they have been compelled to chase Actual Madrid late within the second half. Ferran Torres netted a key equaliser, however the workforce needed to play 30 additional minutes to seal the end result.
Enjoying 120 minutes, evidently, left Barcelona fatigued with a number of gamers even brazenly talking about the identical after the end result.
The enjoyment of profitable a title might certainly have compensated for a few of the fatigue felt by gamers, however it’s clear that the Catalans might not have many first-team regulars again at 100% in time for the Inter Milan recreation.
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The likes of Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Dani Olmo stand out as gamers who might have been the worst hit by the additional minutes, particularly given how their place calls for fixed motion.
Tonight’s recreation for Barcelona, to a big extent, will depend upon their capacity to beat that very fatigue and put up a contemporary efficiency. 90 minutes of flawless soccer and the first-team regulars can sit up for a relaxation towards Actual Valladolid.
A dilemma at left-back
LEGANES, SPAIN – APRIL 12: Inigo Martinez of FC Barcelona celebrates following the workforce’s victory within the LaLiga match between CD Leganes and FC Barcelona at Estadio Municipal de Butarque on April 12, 2025 in Leganes, Spain. (Picture by Denis Doyle/Getty Photos)
Gerard Martin and Hector Fort, for lengthy, have been seen as Barcelona’s finest replacements at left-back after Alejandro Balde’s harm. Each gamers have had a task to play in latest video games and have proven vastly completely different profiles.
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With Balde utterly dominated out for the sport, the supervisor should as soon as once more make a selection of who to start out at left-back. Whereas Martin offers marginally higher defensive stability, Fort guarantees comparatively higher attacking output.
Because it seems, nevertheless, there’s a third possibility for Flick which the supervisor unveiled within the latest El Clasico – Inigo Martinez.
The Spanish veteran took over as Barcelona’s left-back within the latter levels of the sport and served effectively taking part in as a full-back with inflexible defensive stability.
Towards Inter Milan who promise to be lethal on the counterattack and with man-to-man urgent, fielding Martinez at left-back might thus not be a foul thought.
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In such a state of affairs, Ronald Araujo can begin alongside Pau Cubarsi at centre-back, giving Barcelona extra safety on the transition. The manoeuvre, nevertheless, will undoubtedly come at the price of some attacking firepower.
Will Flick keep on with Martin at left-back, or will he experiment with Fort or Martinez on the evening? His selection will probably be important in dictating the circulation of the sport.
Unfamiliar territory
Being within the semifinal of the UEFA Champions League is one thing Barcelona have tackled quite a few occasions prior to now and a hurdle they’ve even overcome on a number of events.
Tackling the strain that comes with being two matches away from the largest recreation in soccer, evidently, is less complicated mentioned than executed particularly when missing the required expertise.
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Barcelona’s squad, on that entrance, face a novel problem in that not one of the mainstay gamers have even performed a semifinal within the UCL earlier than barring Frenkie de Jong.
Notably, even the Dutchman performed within the ultimate 4 levels of the occasion not with Barcelona however with Ajax earlier than his transfer to Catalonia.
Barcelona’s disastrous run in Europe in latest seasons ensured that they by no means made it to the semifinal stage, and the younger dressing room thus from right here on.
Final season, the younger workforce together with Ronald Araujo, Lamine Yamal, Pedri and others made it to the quarterfinal the place they have been knocked out by PSG. Taking to the sector for the primary time within the Champions League semifinal, they are going to be keen to drag off an incredible end result.
Most significantly, nevertheless, it is important that they method the sport with not simply enthusiasm however maturity and instilling that sense of pragmatism is a activity for Flick to handle.
