Ferran Torres in, €15m forward out – Predicted Barcelona line-up to face Alaves in La Liga | OneFootball

FC Barcelona return to La Liga action today as they take on Deportivo Alaves at the Montjuic Stadium. For both teams, grabbing a win here would be incredibly important for various reasons. For Barcelona in particular, a win would help them close the current gap between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

With Los Blancos dropping points against Espanyol, this is a great opportunity for Barça to capitalize and get a crucial win. However, to ensure that, Hansi Flick will likely need to start a strong line-up that is determined to aim for victory at their home stadium.

Here is how Hansi Flick’s Barcelona could line up for this game.

Expected Line-up:

Goalkeeper: Wojciech Szczesny

The Polish goalkeeper has now been confirmed as Hansi Flick’s first-choice goalkeeper, and he will likely start this game against Deportivo Alaves. While he is not always perfect in his decision-making, it seems that the coach still trusts his experience.

Right-back: Jules Kounde

With a solid grasp of both his offensive and defensive duties, Jules Kounde is the ideal all-rounder for this team. As a right-back, he has arguably shown his best version yet this season and Hansi Flick cannot afford to drop him with crucial points at stake.

Centre-back: Ronald Araujo

The Uruguayan centre-back has renewed his contract with the club, and that is a major positive. However, he has been making some unnecessary errors in recent games and he needs to sort out this issues soon if he wants to continue as a first-choice defender in this Barcelona team.

Centre-back: Pau Cubarsi

His absence was sorely felt against Atalanta, as Barcelona were struggling to play out from the back. However, after having started from the bench in the last game, he should now be fully refreshed to start this game from minute one.

Left-back: Alejandro Balde

The Spanish fullback continues to show just how much he has improved. Beyond just being a lethal dribbler on the left flank, he has showcased better decision-making in recent games and his deliveries have improved as well.

CDM: Frenkie de Jong

As he continues to show improvement and consistency, it may be time to start him against Alaves over Marc Casado, While the Spaniard has not done anything wrong, the Dutchman can be a game-changer on his day and Flick seems to be determined to find that version of him on a consistent basis.

CDM: Pedri

A maestro in midfield for Barcelona, Pedri can dictate and control the tempo of the game all day long. When he is having a good game, it automatically means good news for the team and how effectively they are able to operate as a unit.

RAM: Lamine Yamal

The teenage sensation continues to reach more and more milestones, and his availability is always a blessing for Barcelona and Hansi Flick. He should be starting this game given that the team desperately needs to mount a comeback in La Liga.

CAM: Gavi

With Dani Olmo still unavailable, Gavi will likely take his place as the starting attacking midfielder right behind the centre-forward. Thanks to his knack of finding good positions and connecting well with his teammates, he could be a dangerous weapon for Flick’s team to make use of.

A man on a mission this season, Raphinha’s presence is crucial for this Barcelona team. Whether it be his presence as a leader, or due to the immense quality he brings on the pitch itself, starting him in important games is essential.

Centre-forward: Ferran Torres

Given the fact that the Spanish forward has been performing well in his recent appearances, he could be worth putting in the starting eleven against Alaves. He offers more pace and movement than Robert Lewandowski, and while the finishing may not always be consistent, he does have the ability to find the back of the net.

Moreover, the team tends to function better as a system due to his intensity and runs in behind, and it may be worth putting the €15 million-rated striker on the bench to give Torres a rather well-earned chance.