Barcelona faces a pivotal clash next Tuesday as they aim to secure their place in the Champions League. Their opponent, Inter Milan, showed resilience at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys and won’t be easy to overcome. This encounter is expected to be the most challenging of the season for Hansi Flick’s side. With the first leg ending in a thrilling 3-3 draw, everything remains at stake. The Blaugrana will need a top-tier performance at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium.
According to El Nacional, Flick is set to start Iñigo Martínez at left-back in light of Alejandro Balde’s absence. Although Gerard Martínez is a natural fit for the role, Flick values Iñigo’s experience for such a high-pressure match and doesn’t want to take chances.
Flick now faces a difficult choice: trust Gerard and hope he rises to the occasion, which would require Raphinha to provide more defensive cover but preserve the strong partnership between Cubarsí and Iñigo; or shift Iñigo wide, place Araujo in central defense, and change the core structure.
While the first option risks defensive vulnerability, the second limits depth and vertical play but gives Raphinha more attacking freedom and adds strength at the back. Araujo’s pace and recovery skills are also crucial, even though he occasionally misjudges the offside trap.
