See What Barca says as they Prepare to Face Porto in Group Stages!

As they prepare to face Porto in the second round of their UEFA Champions League group stages, Barcelona will depart for Portugal today. After defeating Sevilla 1-0 thanks to an own goal from none other than Sergio Ramos, Barcelona is currently undefeated in the UCL and league, winning seven of nine games while drawing two, 0-0 with Getafe and 2-2 with Mallorca.

But it’s obvious that a number of the team’s players aren’t performing at their peak level because of the hectic schedule of games. In addition, a number of athletes have missed extended periods of time on the field, most recently Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong. Oriol Romeu is one player who appears to have slowed down a bit recently.

The Spanish player had a strong start to the season and was Xavi’s go-to defensive midfielder without a doubt, but he has struggled in recent matches. His performance against Mallorca in particular was noteworthy for all the wrong reasons because he was hooked for Fermin Lopez at the hour mark. Romeu’s participation in the match against Porto is therefore unknown, according to Javi Miguel. Ilkay Gundogan may once more start in place of the 32-year-old on the substitute bench.

When Barça seeks more control over a team known for lethal counterattacks, the German may be asked to repeat the performance he made in that role against Sevilla over the weekend. Fermin Lopez and Gavi will be the central midfielders in front of Gundogan because Pedri and de Jong are out with injuries.

BU’s opinion on whether benching Romeu was the right move. Porto are experts at transitions, and if given enough time and room, players like Mehdi Taremi and Wenderson Galeno are expected to cause mayhem. Barcelona may pay a price if they fail to field an athletic or defensively sound pivot in this contest.

Although Gundogan is unquestionably one of the world’s smartest players, he will struggle to defend against a team that sits deep and attacks through the wings. Furthermore, Barcelona won’t have much extra coverage on the flanks with both Joao Cancelo and Alejandro Balde anticipated to start. Romeu’s versatility and defensive skill could make the difference in a close game like this.

The best course of action for all of Xavi is for Gundogan to start in an advanced role because the veteran is an expert at third-man runs. That sounds like a way to get around Porto’s low block, especially when combined with his vision in the final third. In order to prevent a “Neuer case,” Barcelona is reportedly adding special clauses to player contracts.

After Barcelona extended his contract, Lamine Yamal exulted, saying, “The goal is to win many titles.”. After the international break, injured Barcelona midfield sensation resumes ball training.

In an effort to build on their victory over Sevilla last weekend, Barcelona. Barcelona hopes to build on its victory over Sevilla last weekend / Anadolu Agency/Getty Images. On Wednesday night, Barcelona will play again in the Champions League with hopes of building upon their rout of Royal Antwerp on matchday one.

Barca defeated the Belgians with ease, winning 5-0, thanks to Joao Felix and Robert Lewandowski. However, Porto, a former champion of the Champions League, will not be as easy to beat at the Estadio Do Dragao. Porto began their season with a convincing 3-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.

Although Raphinha missed Friday night’s 1-0 victory over Sevilla due to injury, Barca head coach Xavi should still be able to field a strong lineup. Here is the possible starting lineup for the Spaniard. Champions League matchup between Porto and Barcelona: TV channel, team news, lineups, and prediction. Porto’s lineup against Barcelona was predicted (4-3-3). Marc-Andre ter Stegen, the German goalkeeper, allowed just 18 goals in La Liga last season while posting a nearly career-high save percentage of 84.7%.

However, he has already let eight goals in as many games this time around. It would be nice to keep two straight clean sheets in the Champions League. RB: Joao Cancelo – Given his talent on both flanks, some people are still baffled by Manchester City’s willingness to loan Cancelo out.

However, Barça gains a lot from the Premier League champions’ loss. Jules Kounde, a cornerback, played right back for the majority of 2022–23 but is now reestablishing himself in his natural position. CB: Andreas Christensen – Ronald Araujo’s early-season inconsistency has given Christensen the chance to stake his claim for a regular spot in the side.

The Dane is faring quite well, to his credit. Alejandro Balde, a prominent member of Barcelona’s upcoming superstars, is the clear choice for a left back position in a back four. Ilkay Gundogan, a classy operator who offers a foundation of consistency, hasn’t really gained any momentum since making his summer move. CM: Gavi – Gavi has more opportunities to prove his mettle in central midfield as Frenkie de Jong and Pedri continue to be out injured.

Fermin Lopez, who received a new, long-term contract as a result of his first-team success, scored Barcelona’s equalizer in the 2-2 draw with Mallorca to open his goal scoring account. RW: Lamine Yamal, who was born on July 13, 2007, is too young to appear in EA Sports’ FC 24 due to legal restrictions.

The teenage wonderkid has emerged as one of Xavi’s most promising prospects, so the virtual world’s loss is largely the real world’s gain.

Only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have scored more goals in the Champions League than Robert Lewandowski, who currently holds the record with 92 goals. Since Xavi had access to such a talented group of forwards, Joao Felix’s arrival in Catalonia was initially greeted with skepticism. Felix, however, has gotten off to a fast start at Barcelona, scoring three goals in six games across all competitions.