FC Barcelona is set to face off against Athletic Bilbao in their upcoming La Liga clash. Scheduled to take place on the 22nd of October, the clash will be held at Barça’s Montjuic Stadium. With three points at stake, both teams will want to be at their best to take advantage.
However, given the long injury list that Barcelona has to deal with, Xavi must address the problems accordingly. As it stands, six players will be unavailable for this upcoming clash. Robert Lewandowski, Pedri, Raphinha, Frenkie De Jong, Jules Kounde, and Sergi Roberto are all expected to be sidelined.
Returning stars
Lamine Yamal and Alejandro Balde, on the other hand, may get a chance to feature. Both players took part in a portion of the recent group training session. However, the key decision will be regarding which players from the subsidiary Xavi end up making the decision to call upon.
Aspiring defenders
According to Spanish outlet SPORT, there are several possibilities for Barça. Two of the primary names to be potentially called up are those of Pau Cubarsi and Mikayil Faye. Given the absence of Jules Kounde, either of the two central defenders could end up making the list.
Midfield maestros
Moreover, due to the injuries in the midfield, there are several names there as well. With Sergi Roberto now injured alongside Pedri and Frenkie De Jong, Marc Casado could be considered. Adept at playing both as a midfielder and a fullback, Casado could end up being the versatile inclusion Xavi needs.
Other names such as Aleix Garrido and Bernal are also there for Xavi Hernandez to consider. In terms of forwards, Barcelona will also need additional firepower. The likes of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha are still injured, while Lamine Yamal starting against Bilbao still seems improbable.
Frontline leaders
Hence, 16-year-old Marc Guiu and 21-year-old Pau Victor are also up for contention. Whereas Guiu is a more traditional number 9 with his strength and positioning, Pau Victor offers a more technical approach with his mastery of the ball at his feet even when he drops deep. Both players have been reportedly gaining more and more attention from the first team in recent days.
