When Hansi Flick announced his Barcelona starting lineup for Tuesday's Champions League match against Olympiacos, some people took notice. The German coach has chosen to rest Frenkie de Jong in addition to being without a number of important players due to injuries, including Gavi, Robert Lewandowski, Dani Olmo, Joan Garcia, and Raphinha.
Marc Casado and Pedri are expected to start in midfield against the Greek team, while the Dutchman has been benched for the game. Flick explained his decision ahead of kick-off: “There are no easy matches in the Champions League. You have to play at your highest level,” he said. “Frenkie normally plays with a lot of intensity, like against Girona, and we have to take care of him. That’s why he’s on the bench.” Flick also reiterated his call for his players to improve their positioning and pressing for the match.