Predicted Teams Borussia Dortmund-Barcelona: Robert Lewandowski doubt and Alejandro Balde out | OneFootball

Barcelona will be sending a weaker team to Germany to face Borussia Dortmund at 21:00 CEST at the Signal Iduna Park, after losing starting left-back Alejandro Balde over the weekend. There are also doubts up fron for Hansi Flick’s side.

Balde is likely to miss several weeks of action, ruling him out of the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid. His replacement will be Gerard Martin, but he is one of several changes that could take place, as per MD. They note that Robert Lewandowski was seen feeling the back of his thigh on Monday evening and talking to the fitness coach, which could lend a starting spot to Ferran Torres up front.

Fermin Lopez started behind the Polish number nine against Dortmund in the first leg, and against Leganes, but both Catalan dailies believe that Gavi will replace him this time. Sport also concur that Pau Cubarsi will be partnered by Ronald Araujo this time, with Inigo Martinez just one yellow card away from suspension.

In addition to Balde, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Marc Casado and Marc Bernal remain injured, while Dortmund are missing Nico Schlotterbeck, Filippo Mane, Cole Campbell and Marcel Sabitzer through injury. They have got Pascal Gross back from suspension though, and he is backed to start.

Image via Sport

There are doubts over whether Niko Kovac will go with five at the back or four, with Emre Can also nursing muscle issues. What does seem certain is that Jamie Gittens will drop out of the side, with Karim Adeyemi battling for a place with Carney Chukwuemeka, depending on how the Croatian coach wants to set up his side. If he does go with five at the back, that would mean Julian Brandt would start from the bench too, with Can starting between Waldemar Anton and Niklas Sule.