Barcelona‘s Injury Concerns Cloud Champions league Clash wiht Newcastle United
Newcastle United prepares to host FC Barcelona in a highly anticipated Champions League group stage match, with Barcelona navigating a significant injury list that casts doubt on the availability of key players. The match, set to be played at St. James’ Park, represents a crucial early test for both teams in Group H.
The game arrives as Newcastle returns to top-tier continental football, aiming to replicate their remarkable 4-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain from their 2023 Champions League campaign. For Barcelona, the fixture is complicated by the absence of several first-team regulars, potentially impacting their ability to field a full-strength squad against a motivated Newcastle side.
Team News:
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick benched Raphinha for the 6-0 win against Valencia due to the Brazilian’s tardiness to a team meeting. Raphinha later entered the game as a substitute. However, a more pressing concern for Flick is Lamine Yamal, who returned from international duty with a groin issue, making him a major doubt for Thursday’s match.
Confirmed absentees for Barcelona include Gavi (knee injury) and Alejandro Balde (hamstring injury). The fitness of Frenkie de Jong is also questionable, as the Dutchman missed Sunday’s game with a muscular injury. Long-term absentee Marc-Andre ter Stegen remains unavailable following a back operation and is not expected to return until later in the year.
head to head (h2h) History:
This will be a relatively new rivalry, with limited prior meetings between Newcastle United and FC Barcelona. details of past results where not provided.
Match Odds (via Betfair, subject to change):
Odds were not provided in the source material.
Kick-off Time:
The kick-off time was not provided in the source material.
TV & Live Stream:
Details regarding TV broadcast and live stream availability were not provided in the source material.
