How Barcelona could line up against Manchester United

Barcelona will be without Ousmane Dembele and Sergio Busquets for Thursday's Europa League playoff first-leg encounter against Manchester United at Camp Nou.

Dembele is set for at least a month on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring injury against Girona on January 27, while Busquets was forced off in just the eighth minute of Barca's win over Sevilla on February 5 with a sprained ankle, and the pair are expected to miss both legs of the tie with the Red Devils.

In the absence of Dembele, 18-year-old Gavi is set to continue on the left flank, although Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati are both pushing for recalls from head coach Xavi after beginning on the substitutes' bench in Barca's 1-0 La Liga win over Villarreal last weekend.

Top scorer Robert Lewandowski, who has found the net 23 times in 27 appearances for the Catalan giants since joining from Bayern Munich last summer, is expected to lead the line, while Raphinha could complete the front three by retaining his spot on the right wing.

Franck Kessie was called upon to replace the injured Busquets in the starting lineup last weekend, and the Ivorian will be hoping to continue in centre-midfield alongside Frenkie de Jong and Pedri – the latter of whom has scored four goals in his last seven games, including the match-winner against Villarreal.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen has kept 16 La Liga clean sheets so far this season, four more than any other goalkeeper in Europe's top-five leagues, and the German shot-stopper is set to be protected by a back four of Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen and Jordi Alba, the latter potentially coming in for Alejandro Balde at left-back.

Barcelona possible starting lineup: Ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, Alba; Pedri, De Jong, Kessie; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Gavi

> Click here to see how Manchester United could line up for this contest