Barcelona predicted lineup vs Antwerp - Champions League

Barcelona’s La Liga title defence is faltering, but the club will at least be competing in the Champions League knockout stages next year.

After enduring consecutive group-stage exits with Xavi Hernandez at the helm, Barca have made use of a kind draw to advance – potentially as group winners. A point from their trip to Antwerp will be enough to guarantee top spot on Wednesday night.

However, following Sunday’s defeat to surprise package Girona in La Liga which saw them slide down to fourth in the table, Xavi won’t want to oversee back-to-back losses. Nevertheless, Barca’s status in Group H means the boss is expected to rotate his starting XI pretty heavily.

Here’s how Barcelona could line up against Antwerp.

Barcelona round off their group stage in Antwerp / Eric Alonso/GettyImages

GK: Inaki Pena – Endured a tough outing against Girona, conceding four, but the young Spaniard will remain between the sticks while Marc-Andre ter Stegen recovers from a back injury.

RB: Sergi Roberto – Roberto’s influence has ceased to exist this term. The forgotten man could come back in from the cold on Wednesday.

CB: Jules Kounde – Ronald Araujo is Barca’s best defender and he won’t be risked on Wednesday. Kounde needs a bounce-back performance after struggling on Sunday.

CB: Andreas Christensen – Like Kounde, Christensen was poor at the weekend and with Inigo Martinez out, Xavi should give the Dane a chance to quickly rediscover his best form.

LB: Alejandro Balde – With Marcos Alonso not making the trip, Balde should continue at left-back. Xavi won’t want to utilise the Spanish international for the full 90.

DM: Oriol Romeu – Faced a difficult start to his Barcelona career, but this is a great chance for him to grow comfortable and impress. Frenkie de Jong misses out due to illness.

CM: Fermin Lopez – The dynamic midfielder made a name for himself in this competition at the midway point in the group stage. Fermin hasn’t featured too much as of late, but he could get a start in Belgium.

CM: Pedri – The crafty midfielder is still working his way up to peak fitness and this is another opportunity to get minutes in the tank.

RW: Lamine Yamal – Raphinha has enjoyed an uptick in form in recent outings which has seen Yamal play second fiddle. However, the record-breaking teenager should return to the starting XI in midweek.

ST: Robert Lewandowski – Last season’s top scorer has been eerily inefficient this season, and he missed a great chance to equalise at the death on Sunday before Girona scored a fourth. Xavi could deploy the veteran forward on Wednesday and hope he rediscovers his scoring touch.

LW: Ferran Torres – The Spaniard may feel hard done by given that he’s often impressed for Barca this season, yet he’s found starts hard to come by. A valuable profile that’s been underused, Ferran should get the nod in Antwerp.