Barcelona brace for key Champions League trip to Bruges with altered XI and injury concerns
Barcelona travel to Belgium on Wednesday night for Game Week 4 of the 2025‑26 UEFA Champions League group stage, where they will face Club Brugge at the Jan Breydelstadion.
Their mission: secure a third win of the group phase and strengthen their position towards qualification. Barcelona currently sit on two victories from their opening three games but remain vulnerable after a defeat to Paris Saint‑Germain.
Coach Hansi Flick continues to struggle with injuries: key absentees include Pedri, Gavi, Raphinha, Marc‑André ter Stegen and Andreas Christensen.
On the positive side, veteran striker Robert Lewandowski and playmaker Dani Olmo are available and may figure in the match day squad.
Predicted lineup & tactics
Barcelona are tipped to deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation. According to predictions:
Goalkeeper: Wojciech Szczęsny
Defence: ‹Jules Koundé› (RB), ‹Ronald Araújo› (CB), ‹Pau Cubarsí› (CB), ‹Alejandro Balde› (LB)
Midfield-pivot: ‹Frenkie de Jong› and ‹Marc Casadó›
Attacking support: from right to left: ‹Marcus Rashford›, ‹Fermín López› (in the centre), and ‹Lamine Yamal›
Striker: Ferran Torres is predicted to lead the line, with Lewandowski possibly starting on the bench.
What to watch
Given their injury list, Barcelona will need discipline in defence, their back-line has looked exposed in recent Champions League outings. Meanwhile, their attacking unit has the firepower to exploit any Brugge vulnerabilities.
For Brugge, the priority will be to unsettle Barcelona early, press high and capitalise on set-pieces and transitions.
Context & stakes
A win for Barcelona would greatly enhance their chances of finishing in the top eight of the group phase. Conversely, failure to secure maximum points could leave them reliant on others’ results. The Belgian side, meanwhile, seeing this as an opportunity to capitalize at home.
With the spotlight on this fixture, Barcelona’s mid-week trip offers both risk and reward.