Inter vs FC Barcelona: major surprise in Barça’s starting XI!

This Tuesday at 7pm GMT, FC Barcelona face a daunting trip to Inter Milan for the highly anticipated UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg. It's a decisive clash where the Catalan giants will have to contend with several key absentees.

After the spectacular 3-3 draw in the first leg, despite clear dominance, Barça arrive at San Siro with even more questions hanging over them.

Already without Lewandowski in the opening match, Hansi Flick now has to cope without Jules Koundé, who is injured. It's a major blow for a defense that’s already looked shaky this season.

A completely reshuffled backline!

To compensate for this absence, Eric Garcia is expected to move to the right flank, while Martinez is tipped to start on the left. The central pairing will likely be Cubarsi and Araujo. This defensive shake-up comes as a real surprise for a match of this magnitude.

Up front, Ferran Torres could once again lead the line, rewarded for his strong display in the first leg. Lewandowski, back in the squad, remains a doubt to start.

Dani Olmo is also set to take on the playmaker role, supported by the midfield duo of De Jong and Pedri. Out wide, the ever-present Yamal and Raphinha are expected to start.

Here’s the probable FC Barcelona starting XI against Inter Milan:

Szczesny – Garcia, Cubarsi, Araujo, Martinez – Pedri, De Jong – Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha – Torres.

Amine Jomni |

Editorfr

African football writer and sports journalist covering football news, stories and insights while sharing his expertise with fans across the continent.