Xavi likely to bench Barcelona young defender vs Napoli, will revert to a four-man midfield – report

Given Napoli’s troubling run of form, Barcelona are expected to go all-out-attack against the Italian team and if a report from AS is to be believed, manager Xavi will revert to a four-man midfield during the UEFA Champions League tie.

Both Xavi and Barcelona know that it is not just about moving on to the next round of the Champions League anymore. 

The team wants to make up for a bad season, where they missed out on winning two titles, namely the Spanish Super Cup and the La Liga time (which in reality is now lost). This is why the away game against Napoli will be crucial for the team’s reputation. 

What kind of changes are expected?

For the first leg encounter, Xavi is expected to stick to using four midfielders. He likes this strategy because it helps control the game and keep possession.

But he also has to do it because some key players are injured, and those on the nursing table would usually play on the wings. 

One player who benefits from this strategy is Andreas Christensen as he has been doing well in recent matches when playing in the midfield.

Frenkie de Jong and Ilkay Gundogan will be with him in midfield, and Pedri will take on a different role as a false left-winger.

Andreas Christensen will play as a midfielder against Napoli. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal is also expected to be in the playing XI and he will be a key player for Xavi’s team when they are defending high up the pitch.

Another important player to watch is Robert Lewandowski, who has been in good form, scoring in the last three matches.

What about defence?

While the midfield and the attack is more or less sorted, a young prodigy, namely Pau Cubarsi, might not start against Napoli. Javi Miguel writes for the aforementioned publication that Xavi is thinking of using Inigo Martinez in place of the youngster.

The manager is of the idea that Martinez’s experience and reliability can help fix the team’s defensive problems and in that regard, Ronald Araujo, who was previously injured, is also expected to play as Xavi wants to protect Cubarsi from the pressure of such an important match. 

Lastly, the likes of Jules Kounde and Joao Cancelo, are likely to keep their positions on the full-back positions despite their recent poor form and Marc-Andre ter Stegen will continue as the goalkeeper.