Lamine Yamal to Battle Against Bruges

Lamine Yamal is the main figure in Barcelona's clash against Bruges in Belgium this Wednesday. After weeks of rumours about his physical issues, the young Barcelona star showed a better version of himself against Elche and hopes to continue on this path to get closer to the player who amazed the world last season. This is his moment, the time to regain the ground lost in the early months of the competition.

Lamine Yamal, due to various reasons, has not managed to shine this season. He has suffered two injuries, causing him to miss up to five matches and lose the continuity he enjoyed last season despite his young age. Lamine Yamal could play his fifth consecutive match for Barcelona this season against Bruges, something he has not been able to do since the ball started rolling in August.

He will do so in a tricky match for Barcelona, as the team arrives at this fixture in a delicate moment because Hansi Flick still doesn't have all his players available, and the German coach's model isn't working like clockwork this season. Defeats against Paris Saint-Germain, Sevilla, and Real Madrid still linger in a group that has seen how the advanced defence poses risks that have turned into problems this season. Barcelona won against Elche last weekend at Lluis Companys, but it was in a match where Rafa Mir scored another goal behind the centre-backs and had two balls that ended up hitting the woodwork.

This lack of defensive reliability is now Flick's main task, as he continues to ponder the possibility of making a lineup with rotations without affecting the team. The fact that the infirmary is still full does not help in this mission. The German coach will not be able to count on Ter Stegen, Joan García, Gavi, Raphinha, Pedri, and Christensen, who relapsed in Tuesday's training from the muscular discomfort he was carrying.

All these absences condition a lineup where Flick will have to make do with what he has. Cubarsí could return to the defence alongside Eric García to aim for better ball handling in the opponent's half, De Jong and Casadó will be the anchors for the second consecutive match, and upfront, the German coach might rest Ferran Torres and Fermín in favour of Dani Olmo and Lewandowski, two players who are still seeking their best physical form and need, like Lamine Yamal, a solid match to gain good sensations.

Facing them will be a team that will not give anything away. "We are capable of winning, we have very good weapons to play against a team as big as Barcelona. They shouldn't assume they will win easily," declared Nick Hayen in the pre-match press conference. The Bruges coach has built a very tactically disciplined team, aware of its shortcomings, and will propose a very physical encounter where Barcelona will have to take the lead. In this scenario, Bruges can alternate between a 4-2-3-1 and a 4-5-1 in a low block and make transitions to catch a Barcelona that will again play far from the goal defended by Szczesny.

To execute this plan, Hayen will have to overcome the absences of Bjorn Meijer and Ludovit Reis, two players who will not be available due to injury. These absences will not alter the structure of a team that has left mixed impressions in the first three Champions League matches. They won their debut against Monaco with an exciting 4-1, but then suffered two setbacks away against Atalanta (2-1) and Bayern Munich (4-0). Returning to Jan Breydel Stadium is an opportunity to score against a major team and, why not, believe they can be in the next round of the Champions League.

Bruges: Jackers, Sabbe, Mechele, Ordóñez, Seys, Stankovic, Vanaken, Onyedika, Forbs, Tresoldi, and Tzolis.

Barcelona: Szczesny, Koundé, Cubarsí, Eric García, Balde, De Jong, Casadó, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, and Rashford.

Referee: Anthony Taylor (England).

Time: 21:00 h.

Stadium: Jan Breydel.

TV: Movistar Liga de Campeones.