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Barcelona manager Quique Setien is being tipped to change tactics for Saturday’s crucial Champions League clash against Napoli at the Camp Nou.
The 61-year-old heads into the match under scrutiny after missing out on the league title and seeing rivals Real Madrid crowned champions. However, the Champions League remains Barca’s top priority and they will be favorites to progress against Napoli. Their tie is level at 1-1 after the first leg in Italy, giving Barca the slight advantage ahead of the return.
Setien does have plenty of selection dilemmas ahead of the match. He will be without experienced midfielders Arturo Vidal and Sergio Busquets due to suspension, while Arthur is unavailable as he is in Brazil and refusing to play for the club again.
Meanwhile, Ousmane Dembele, Samuel Umtiti, and Ronald Araujo are all injury doubts. Antoine Griezmann and Clement Lenglet are also on their way back from injury but are expected to be fit.
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Setien To Play 3-5-2?
According to Francesc de Haro at Sport, Setien has a “revolutionary plan” for the match and has been trying out “various ideas” in training. The coach could decide to revert to a 3-5-2 formation, with a three-man central defence of Nelson Semedo, Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet.
Barcelona would then use Sergi Roberto and Jordi Alba as full-backs with a midfield of Ivan Rakitic, Frenkie de Jong and young Riqui Puig. Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez would complete the line-up in attack, leaving Griezmann out of the starting XI.
Setien is considering this line-up because he wants his “wing-backs to open the pitch” but doesn’t want to be exposed defensively, hence the three-man backline.
But Griezmann Could Play
However, there is another way Barca could line-up, according to Mundo Deportivo’s Roger Torello. Setien could stick with the 4-3-3 formation he favored towards the end of the league season and play Griezmann with Messi and Suarez.
Torello reports Setien would then look to use a midfield of Rakitic, De Jong and Roberto, meaning Puig would drop out. Barcelona would also revert to their usual back four of Semedo, Pique, Lenglet and Alba.
Griezmann could prove pivotal in the game. The Frenchman scored Barca’s vital away goal in the first leg and shone in Barca’s 4-1 win over Villarreal, arguably their best performance under Setien, before getting injured and missing the end of the league season.
Setien has plenty to ponder ahead of the game. There has been plenty of speculation about the coach’s future at the club already, and an early exit from the Champions League will only heap more pressure on his shoulders.