Barcelona dey face serious wahala for defence as dem prepare for Champions League quarter-final second leg against Atletico Madrid next Tuesday. Di Catalans need to overturn 2-0 first-leg deficit wey dem suffer for Camp Nou, and now dem dey struggle to find fit defenders for di crucial match.
Manager Hansi Flick get headache for hand. Gerard Martín wey dem withdraw at half-time during di 4-1 win over Espanyol on Saturday dey cause concern. Club medical staff don talk say injury no serious, but whether he go start or dey bench go dey decided close to kickoff.
Di situation dey worse because Pau Cubarsi dey suspended after red card for first leg, and Andreas Christensen still dey injured for long term. Dis na big blow because Cubarsi don play 43 matches dis season with 3,555 minutes for pitch.
Flick options dey limited. Ronald Araújo and Eric García likely go start as centre-backs, but problem dey. Araújo don dey play right-back recently, even come from bench for dat position against Atletico for first leg. Garcia sef don dey operate as defensive midfielder, including for dat same match.
Di two players no get rhythm together as centre-backs. Dem no understand each other well, and dis lack of chemistry fit cost Barcelona against Atletico side wey sabi quick transitions.
One other option na to play Jules Koundé as centre-back, but dis one no straightforward. Di Frenchman don start just four of hin 42 appearances dere dis season. If Flick try am, den right-back position go empty, and Araújo fit fill am but no match Koundé quality.
Meanwhile, for La Liga, Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé dey lead scoring charts with 23 goals with seven matches remain. He get two-goal advantage over Fede Moriki wey get 21. Osasuna striker Ante Budimir dey third with 16 goals, just one clear of Lamine Yamal wey dey fourth.
Ferran Torres dey fifth place with 14 goals after scoring brace against Espanyol. Mbappé cushion dey slender, and one slip-up fit change everything for di remaining rounds.
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