Jordi Alba and Marcos Alonso, news from Barça against Manchester United

Barça has based a large part of its strength on defense this season and against Manchester United the Barça coach, Xavi Hernández, has decided to make two changes at the back.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
16 February 2023 Thursday 16:28
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Jordi Alba and Marcos Alonso, news from Barça against Manchester United

Barça has based a large part of its strength on defense this season and against Manchester United the Barça coach, Xavi Hernández, has decided to make two changes at the back. Alejandro Balde and Andreas Christensen, two players who are performing at a high level, are substitutes for Jordi Alba and Marcos Alonso in the first leg of the Europa League round of 32.

"The two changes in defense is because there are many games in the next few days, seven in 21 days, and we have to use all the players to prevent injuries, we need to rotate. We have worked to stop their transitions", Xavi assessed the changes before the game match against the English.

The Terrassa coach bets on the seniority of the left-back from L'Hospitalet in a highly demanding match against the third-ranked player in the Premier League. He also brings on Marcos Alonso, normally a winger, who is likely to play as a left-footed centre-back, a position he has occupied earlier this season.

Beyond these two novelties, Xavi maintains the center of the field and the lead from the previous game against Villarreal, which ended with a Blaugrana victory (0-1). In this way, these are the eleven chosen that will seek victory at the Camp Nou against the red devils: Ter Stegen, Koundé, Araújo, Marcos Alonso, Jordi Alba, Kessié, De Jong, Pedri, Gavi, Raphinha and Lewandowski.

The Barcelona team has two sensitive casualties for this game, that of Sergio Busquets and that of Ousmane Dembélé. The absence of the Frenchman has caused him to bet more strongly on the presence of four midfielders, while the loss of Badia is being replaced by Kessié, who is performing at a good level.

For their part, the English team coached by Erik ten Hag arrives at the game with several casualties, including central defender Lisandro Martínez, whose place will be taken by Luke Shaw, a regular left-back. This is Manchester United's starting XI: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Shaw, Malacia, Casemiro, Fred; Sancho, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford and Weghorst.

Consult all the results of the Europa League.