Ahead of the Champions League clash, individual duels like Lamine Yamal vs Marc Cucurella and Frenkie de Jong vs Chelsea’s midfield will be crucial in deciding the outcome between Barcelona and Chelsea.
The UEFA Champions League clash between FC Barcelona and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge is expected to be decided by key individual matchups, according to a report from Sempre Barca.
The “most talked-about battle” is on the flank, featuring Lamine Yamal against Marc Cucurella. Yamal is “key to the way Hansi Flick’s team plays,” and the duel is highly anticipated after Cucurella hinted at a “tackle-heavy approach,” stating he had already “started asking Estaveo to wear shin pads during training sessions.”
In midfield, the focus is on a 1v2 battle pitting Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong against Chelsea’s duo, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo.
Despite the absence of the injured Pedri, De Jong, who is “refreshed and ready” after a suspension, must “run the show almost single-handedly.”
The report notes that getting the better of Caicedo “will not be easy,” as a “case can be made that Caicedo is the best midfielder in the Premier League at the moment.”
The third decisive duel will be up front, matching striker Robert Lewandowski against centre back Trevoh Chalobah. Lewandowski is in “good goal-scoring form” and will act as a “reference point” for Barcelona.
Chalobah is described as a “physical menace” who will track the Pole across the pitch, ensuring the battle “promises to be spicy.”