Farinas, Gordon start in a 4-2-3-1: How Barcelona can line up against Aston Villa

Farinas, Gordon start in a 4-2-3-1: How Barcelona can line up against Aston Villa Barcelona return to Champions League action against Aston Villa at the Spotify Camp Nou on Tuesday, November 3, looking to recover from their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain and strengthen their position in the league phase standings.  Hansi Flick’s side currently sit eighth with six points, three behind Unai Emery’s visitors, making victory particularly important as the competition progresses. Unfortunately, Barcelona’s defensive record under Flick has been quite concerning, with the team conceding in each of their last 18 Champions League fixtures. With several first-team defenders unavailable and the fixture schedule offering little opportunity for recovery, Flick will have to carefully manage his selection.  On that note, changes are expected in defence, while the midfield and attacking departments offer continuity ahead of a demanding encounter against Aston Villa. Defence Gerard Martin could return to the starting XI against Astov Villa. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) Joan Garcia is expected to continue in goal, with Flick having little reason to make a change between the posts.  The bigger selection questions concern the defensive positions, where injuries to Eric Garcia, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen and Xavi Espart have significantly reduced the manager’s options. One possibility is to use Brian Farinas at right-back and Joao Cancelo on the opposite flank, with Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin occupying the central defensive positions. Martin’s inclusion would be an important opportunity for the youngster, who featured as a second-half substitute against Alaves last weekend.  De Jong was deployed at centre-back during that match, but with the Dutchman ready to return to his preferred midfield position, Flick could restore Martin to the starting defensive unit. Midfield Barcelona will count on Fermin Lopez’s return. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) Barcelona’s midfield selection appears considerably more straightforward.  Fermin Lopez should retain his place after producing an outstanding performance against Alaves, scoring once and providing two assists. Dani Olmo’s absence further strengthens Fermín’s chances of starting.  His ability to arrive inside the penalty area and contribute directly makes him particularly important in a fixture where Barcelona will need to create opportunities against an organised Aston Villa defence. Pedri and Rodri are also expected to feature, giving Flick a combination of technical quality, creativity and control in central areas.  Pedri’s workload will be worth monitoring, however, after he was substituted at half-time in the previous league fixture. Flick has alternatives available, including Gavi and Marc Bernal, but changing the midfield combination after such an encouraging performance against Alaves would be difficult to justify. Attack Anthony Gordon could join Raphinha and Lamine Yamal in the attack. (Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images) The most interesting attacking selection decision concerns the left wing.  Anthony Gordon is expected to have an opportunity to return to the starting XI after coming off the bench against Alaves, potentially joining Raphinha and Lamine Yamal in the forward line. Yamal arrives after scoring twice against Alaves, providing another reminder of his importance to Barcelona’s attacking plans.  Raphinha’s intensity and movement should complement the teenager’s creativity, while Gordon would offer pace and direct running from the left. Karim Adeyemi could consequently drop to the bench following his substitution against Alaves.