Four Barcelona Stars Face Suspension Ahead of Slavia Praha Match

Barcelona head into the Champions League clash against Slavia Praha knowing that victory is essential to keep their hopes of a top-eight finish alive. The match carries huge sporting importance, but apart from that, there is an added layer of complexity when it comes to selecting the starting XI. As such, Barcelona will not only be battling for three points, but also managing risk ahead of their final group-stage fixture against FC Copenhagen at the Spotify Camp Nou. With qualification margins extremely tight, manager Hansi Flick will have to balance the need to field his strongest possible side with the danger of losing key players to suspension at a decisive moment. What’s the story? Notably, Flick is already dealing with several confirmed absences, as Ferran Torres, Gavi, and Andreas Christensen are all unavailable through injury, while Lamine Yamal will miss the game through suspension. These setbacks limit Flick’s room for manoeuvre and increase the importance of managing the players who are available. Complicating matters further is the disciplinary situation. Four Barcelona players are walking a fine line in Europe. The likes of Frenkie de Jong, Fermin Lopez, Gerard Martin, and Marc Casado have each accumulated two yellow cards in the Champions League. This means one more booking for any of them would result in a one-match suspension, ruling them out of the crucial Copenhagen encounter. This is particularly significant in the case of De Jong and Fermin, both of whom are expected to feature prominently from the start in Prague. Their roles in midfield are vital to Barcelona’s structure and tempo, meaning Flick cannot easily rest them. As a result, both players will need to show extreme discipline, especially in a match that could become intense and physical.