Barcelona’s Champions League Trip to Brugge Complicated by Midfield Suspension Risk

With De Jong plus Casadó one caution from missing Chelsea, Hansi Flick navigates thin options in the center.

Overview

Barcelona visit Club Brugge in a Champions League group-stage match as they try to keep pace in the push for automatic progression.
Frenkie de Jong and Marc Casadó are a booking away from suspension, which would rule them out of the next group game at Stamford Bridge.
Team-focused outlets project a largely unchanged 4-2-3-1 from the Elche win, with Ferran Torres expected to start up front as Robert Lewandowski is not yet a likely starter.
Reports indicate a midfield built around Casadó, De Jong and Fermín López while Pedri remains sidelined with an estimated month-long recovery.
Andreas Christensen has returned to training and Joan García is close to a comeback, with Raphinha, Pedri, Marc-André ter Stegen and Gavi still listed as longer-term absentees.