.
Flick’s Barca have dazzled at the start of 2024/25, with the new German coach building his team around the next great generation of La Masia starlets. The La Liga leaders produced an outstanding performance on Matchday 3 against Bayern Munich, thumping the German giants 4-1 in Catalonia.
That victory followed a seamless triumph over Young Boys, but they were beaten away from home by Monaco on Matchday 1 having been forced to play much of the game with ten men.
An impressive goal difference has salvaged Barcelona’s early position in the league phase table with six points, and there’s scope for Wednesday’s visitors to enjoy another productive continental outing in Belgrade. Perennial Serbian champions Red Star are one of six teams yet to pick up a point in the Champions League this term.
While they’re dominating domestically once more, Red Star have been beaten by Benfica, Inter and Monaco in their first three league phase games.
Here is 90min’s guide to Barcelona’s upcoming Champions League clash.
The hosts are without winger Peter Olayinka for the remainder of 2024 due to an Achilles injury, while Nemanja Radonjic has had his fair share of injury woes as of late and is likely to miss out again.
The Serbian was withdrawn just eight minutes after entering the fray as a substitute against Vojvodina at the weekend.
Goalkeeper Omri Glazer and defender Ognjen Mimovic have barely featured this season and are unlikely to make their respective comebacks here.
Red Star Belgrade predicted lineup vs Barcelona (3-5-2): Ilic; Young-woo, Spajic, Djiga; Silas, Krunic, Elsnik, Maksimovic, Rodic; Duarte, Ndiaye,
Barcelona’s excellent start to the season has been made all the more impressive given the injury absences Flick …
Read More
