Bayer Leverkusen V Barcelona: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Barcelona travel to Germany and a "dead rubber" Champions League tie against Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday.
Luis Enrique has the perfect chance to rest many of his top stars in preparation for their weekend La Liga game against Deportivo La Coruna, followed by the Club World Cup in Japan a few days later.
However, by choosing an under-strength XI, would it be showing a lack of respect to AS Roma and BATE Borisov, both of whom could still qualify from Group E?
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It's a conundrum that the manager is unlikely to lose any sleep over as Lucho has Barca's interests at heart first and foremost.
If Enrique decides to go with a more or less full-strength starting lineup, Dani Alves will be suspended regardless thanks to an accumulation of yellow cards in the earlier group games, per Sport.
Although Valencia put an end to Barca's winning run at the weekend, the Catalans are still in fine fettle.
They are top of La Liga after playing at the grounds of all of their major rivals, and they have qualified for the Champions League knockout stages as group winners.
All this has come against the backdrop of a FIFA-imposed transfer ban that still has three weeks to run and a succession of injuries to key players.
Every team in the world would've almost certainly taken such a scenario were it offered to them.
Bayer will prove the stiffest of opponents to whatever team Enrique eventually decides to send out. Two goals in two minutes in the first game between the teams effectively got Barca out of jail.
There could've been no complaints if Roger Schmidt's side had left the Camp Nou with all three points because Leverkusen provided an honest and hard-working performance that deserved better than it eventually received.
Lars Bender will be a big miss for the hosts, but his omission allows a slight reshuffle and other players to come to the fore and stake a claim.
Date: Wednesday, 4 November
Time: 7:45 p.m. BST / 2:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Bay Arena, Leverkusen, Germany
TV Info: BT Sport Extra 2 (UK only)/Fox Sports Network (U.S. only)
Live Stream: BT Sport app (UK only)/FoxSoccer2Go (U.S. only)
Form Lines
Predicted Formations
Luis Enrique will set up with the tried and tested 4-3-3 and a high likelihood of a change in personnel.
Cup keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is unlikely to feature even if fit, thanks to a knee problem, identified by FCBarcelona.
Claudio Bravo won't be risked so it means that Jordi Masip will get the chance of a Champions League appearance to his name.
The goalkeeper is likely to want a solid back line in front of him, and Thomas Vermaelen sat alongside Javier Mascherano centrally should give him some comfort.
Adriano Correia has the opportunity on the left side to keep Karim Bellarabi's influence to a minimum, while Marc Bartra can fill in for suspended Alves in a right wing-back role.
Schmidt's attacking lineup means that Sergi Roberto will have to be content with more defensive duties for the most part, with Admir Mehmedi continuing to provide an effective presence down Bayer's left side.
Javier Hernandez has enough about him to keep Bartra and Vermaelen entertained, and the duo need to decide at the earliest opportunity who picks up the front man.
Sergi Samper will sit at the heart of a Barca B midfield trio that will include Gerard Gumbau and Wilfrid Kaptoum.
Their challenge is to keep the likes of Julian Brandt, Kevin Kampl and Christoph Kramer quiet.
If they're able to dilute the influence of Bayer's purposeful midfield three and spread the play, it will give Juan Camara and Munir El Haddadi opportunities on the flanks to deliver for a revitalised Sandro Ramirez.
His hat-trick against Villanovense in the Copa del Rey will ensure that he is much more confident in approaching this match. If Omer Toprak and Jonathan Tah take any risks in his company, the likelihood is that they will be punished.
Giulio Donati and Sebastian Boenisch will hope to get forward at every opportunity, leaving gaps in behind which Barca can exploit if they continue playing their natural game.
Bernd Leno makes up the German's XI and will need to do better than recently. Just two clean sheets in the last 13 games back to when the teams last met in late September, per WhoScored.com.
Leverkusen need to win to be absolutely certain of their place in the next stage, assuming Roma don't see off BATE. Barca's reserves have a point to prove.
We could witness a spectacularly attacking game of football from both sides.
Player to Watch
Louis Van Gaal was quick enough to dispense with the services of Hernandez when Bayer came calling with a £7 million bounty in the summer.
Although it seemed good business at the time, "Little Pea" has make something of a splash in the Bundesliga, recently winning the player-of-the-month award for November, per James Orr of the Independent.
The tricky and agile striker has terrorised defences since his switch and has scored more than Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial combined.
How Van Gaal could do with a centre-forward of such prowess at present.
Combining a low centre of gravity with the ability to find the smallest of gaps between the centre-back pairing, Barca will have to be on their toes throughout to stop the sharp and alert attacker from adding to his tally.
Despite a less then successful last couple of seasons, it hasn't dimmed the players' enthusiasm for the game.
If he can fire the Germans to a win and BATE Borisov topple AS Roma in the other Group E fixture, Bayer will have reached the knockout stages.
Expect a livewire performance.
Key Battle
Although Julian Brandt is ostensibly a winger, the 19-year-old has been utilised by Schmidt in a central playmaking role behind the main attacker of late—akin to Gareth Bale's duties for Real Madrid when Rafael Benitez prefers the 4-2-3-1 formation.
In so doing against Barcelona, Brandt will be in direct competition with Barca's own boy wonder, Samper.
The latter has found his first-team opportunities limited over the last 18 months or so, but this game gives Samper the perfect opportunity to let Enrique know what he has been missing.
His studious and often contemplative midfield play will be at odds with Brandt's speed across the pitch, and as such, the Barca man may have to deliver quicker than he is used to.
Having said that, both do have the ability to work the tightest of spaces and are diligent with both feet.
Samper needs to keep Brandt at arm's length for much of the 90 minutes if he wants to come out on top in this particular battle.
Odds
The following pre-match odds are available, per Odds Shark.
Bayer Leverkusen win 12/5
Barcelona win 1/1
Draw 11/4
