Barcelona’s Chance to Seal Champions League Knockout Spot with Key Match Against Shakhtar

Barcelona is on the cusp of securing their place in the Champions League knockout stages, with a crucial showdown against Shakhtar Donetsk scheduled for Tuesday. A victory would ensure that neither the Ukrainian champions nor Royal Antwerp could surpass them in the group, thus guaranteeing a top-two finish.

Given Barcelona’s demanding schedule and the substantial playing time for their players in recent weeks, head coach Xavi Hernandez is planning tactical adjustments for this pivotal encounter. Sport anticipates that Alejandro Balde, Joao Felix, and Ronald Araujo will be given a rest, with Marco Alonso, Ferran Torres, and Raphinha set to start in Hamburg. This change will see Joao Cancelo return to his conventional right-back role. Fermin Lopez may also be rotated out, making way for Oriol Romeu’s return to the starting XI, while Andreas Christensen is poised to take Inigo Martinez’s place in the defense.

Shakhtar is acutely aware of the match’s significance, particularly with Porto hosting Antwerp in the other Group H fixture. A triumph would keep Shakhtar in contention for progression to the knockout stages, but a defeat coupled with a Porto victory would put their prospects in jeopardy.

While Barcelona’s Champions League campaign has been less than vintage so far, they aim for a comfortable victory on Tuesday evening, even though they anticipate a formidable challenge from Shakhtar.