According to "Varzesh 3", Barcelona will face Real Madrid this Sunday at the Spotify Camp Nou with some notable absentees, though these absences will not prevent Hansi Flick from fielding a highly powerful lineup to take on Mourinho's team. Barcelona will be dealing with several injured players heading into the tenth week of La Liga: Roony Bardghji, Andreas Christensen, Jules Koundé, Eric Garcia, and Dani Olmo. The French full-back has also failed to fully recover in time from the left ankle sprain he suffered in last week's match against Real Betis.
Despite these significant absences affecting all areas of the team, Hansi Flick can still field a very powerful lineup, as he not only possesses a high-quality squad but also has suitable replacements in every position. Barcelona is striving to show this week that their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League has not impacted the team and that they can maintain their lead in the standings over Real Madrid. Barca, having won all nine of their domestic league matches, sits at the top of the table, while Real Madrid trails by six points in third place.
Sunday's derby at the Camp Nou provides an opportunity for Mourinho to finalize his team's tactical coordination, and his probable lineup points to a very clear plan. With Thibaut Courtois in goal, the Portuguese manager intends to deploy Federico Valverde at right-back, a position where the Real Madrid captain has settled in over the last two matches, despite it not being his natural role.
The three-man defensive line will be completed by Konaté, Dean Huijsen, and Marc Cucurella. Ahead of them, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga will operate as the two defensive midfielders, supporting a three-man attacking midfield trio of Arda Güler, Jude Bellingham, and Yann Diomande to supply Kylian Mbappé.
The absence of Vinícius due to suspension forces Mourinho to make changes in the attacking line. Diomande, who is in superb form following his spectacular goal against RB Leipzig, will play on the left wing. Meanwhile, Güler will shift to the right, although the Turkish player often drifts inward toward central areas to orchestrate plays.
The biggest question mark and most significant tactical risk in the lineup concerns Eduardo Camavinga. The French midfielder has not seen much playing time at the start of the season, but his attributes completely align with Mourinho's game plan for such a decisive match. At Valdebebas, his physical capacity, dribbling skills, and ability to break through opponent defensive lines while seemingly keeping the ball glued to his feet are considered ideal traits for countering Barcelona's press and launching Real Madrid's counterattacks—the very weapon Los Blancos hope will inflict the most damage on away soil.
Probable Barcelona lineup: Joan García, Gerard Martín, Pau Cubarsí, Espart, João Cancelo, Pedri, Rodri, Lamine Yamal, Fermín López, Karim Adeyemi, Raphinha.
Probable Real Madrid lineup: Courtois, Valverde, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella, Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Güler, Bellingham, Diomande, Mbappé.
Source: Varzesh 3
No comments yet — be the first to share your view.