When Xavi Hernandez leads his FC Barcelona side into action on Wednesday night, against Shakhtar Donetsk in the UCL, he may have one eye on Saturday’s El Clasico. And that could shape how he goes about filling in his team sheet for the mid-week clash.
Or maybe not, as he probably doesn’t have the luxury. His squad is just so banged up right now.
FC Barcelona vs Shakhtar Donetsk FYIs
Kickoff: Wed. Oct. 25, 5:45pm, Olympic Stadium, Barcelona, Spain
Competition: UEFA Champions League Group H Matchday 3 of 6
FC Barcelona Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Standings: Barcelona 1st, 6 pts, WW Shakhtar Donetsk 3rd, 3 pts WL
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Google Result Probability: Barcelona 51% Draw 25% Shakhtar Donetsk 24%
The Ukrainian club is always considered a powerhouse in their own domestic league, but they are regarded to be vast underdogs here. Yes, even though Barcelona are far from full strength right now, they are still very much tipped to bag the three points on Wednesday night at home.
Let’s look at what the lineup might be when the Blaugranes take on Shakhtar Donetsk.
Barcelona Starting XI Prediction vs Shakhtar Donetsk (UCL)
Marc Ter Stegen; Joao Cancelo, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Christian Balde; Oriol Romeu, Ilkay Gundogan, Gavi; Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, Joao Felix
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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