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Champions League | Group Stage
Sep 17, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
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How Barcelona could line up against Borussia Dortmund

Sports Mole looks at how Barcelona could line up in Tuesday's Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund.

Barcelona's first Champions League match of the 2019-20 season sees them visit Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night, and both teams will be looking to get their Group F campaigns off to a strong start.

Ernesto Valverde's side will enter the match off the back of a strong league win, having recorded a 5-2 home success over Valencia on Saturday night.

Barca have already dropped points in two La Liga fixtures this season, having lost to Athletic Bilbao and drawn with Osasuna, but Saturday's win has seen them rise into fourth spot in the table.

After last season's semi-final disappointment against eventual winners Liverpool, the Catalan giants will have their eyes on a sixth European Cup this term.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how the Spanish champions could line up against BVB.


POSS BAR XI vs. DOR

Out: Ousmane Dembele (hamstring), Samuel Umtiti (foot), Neto (wrist)
Doubtful: Lionel Messi (calf)

Lionel Messi again missed out against Valencia on Saturday due to an ongoing calf problem, and it seems incredibly unlikely that the Argentina international will be fit for this match.

Luis Suarez scored twice off the bench against Los Che in his comeback game, though, and the Uruguay international is now expected to be given a starting role at the tip of the attack.

Carles Perez has developed into an important player for Barca early in the season, and the attacker could get the nod alongside Suarez and Antoine Griezmann despite Anssumane Fati's fine form.

There are not expected to be any surprises at the back as Nelson Semedo came through 90 minutes against Valencia despite a slight ankle complaint, while Samuel Umtiti's absence with a foot injury means that Valverde's options for change in central defence are very limited.

The midfield is perhaps the main talking point - Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong appear almost certain to start, while the fact that Sergi Roberto was not involved against Valencia suggests that Valverde will be relying on his energy against Dortmund.

Arthur, Ivan Rakitic and Arturo Vidal are also options for Barca, though, and it is certainly possible that Valverde could decide to add in an extra midfielder, which would likely see Perez drop out of the attack.

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TeamPWDLPTS
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2Barcelona650115
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4Inter Milan641113
5Brest641113
6Arsenal641113
7Aston Villa641113
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11Atletico640212
12AC Milan640212
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14Juventus632111
15Benfica631210
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18Monaco631210
19Sporting Lisbon631210
20Real Madrid63039
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22Man City62228
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25PSG62137
26Stuttgart62137
27Shakhtar61144
28Sparta Prague61144
29Sturm Graz61053
30Girona61053
31Red Star61053
32Salzburg61053
33Bologna60242
34RB Leipzig60060
35Slovan Bratislava60060
36Young Boys60060


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