FC Barcelona vs Olympiacos: probable lineups and absences for the Champions League match

FC Barcelona and Olympiacos face each other this Tuesday in the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 at the Olímpic Lluís Companys Stadium in Montjuïc (18:45 CEST), for the third matchday of the league phase. Hansi Flick's team arrives with seven absentees due to injury, with Raphinha and Ferran Torres still on the sidelines.

We review the possible starting lineup, the substitutes' bench, and the injured and suspended players for Hansi Flick's Barcelona for the match against Olympiacos. Complete analysis!

Possible Starting XI for Barça against Girona

1. (#25, GK) Szczesny
2. (#23) Jules Koundé
3. (#04) Ronald Araujo
4. (#24) Eric García
5. (#03) Alejandro Balde
6. (#21) Frenkie de Jong
7. (#08) Pedri
8. (#16) Fermín López
9. (#10) Lamine Yamal
10. (#14) Marcus Rashford
11. (#28) Roony Bardghji

Barça Bench (substitute players)

1. (#31, GK) Diego Kochen
2. (#33, GK) Eder Aller
3. (#05) Pau Cubarsí
4. (#15) Andreas Christensen
5. (#17) Marc Casadó
6. (#18) Gerard Martín
7. (#22) Marc Bernal
8. (#26) Jofre Torrents
9. (#27) Dro Fernández
10. (#29) Toni Fernández

Injured Barça Players

1. (#01, G) Marc-André ter Stegen
2. (#06) Gavi
3. (#07) Ferran Torres
4. (#09) Robert Lewandowski
5. (#11) Raphinha
6. (#13, G) Joan García
7. (#20) Dani Olmo

Possible Surprises and Tactical Variations from Flick Against Olympiacos

In principle, Hansi Flick plans to make several adjustments to his starting XI against Girona (2-1), with Ronald Araujo returning as a center-back in place of Pau Cubarsí. In addition, Fermín López could return as an attacking midfielder, while Pedri would move to his usual position in the midfield. Roony Bardghji is also shaping up to be a starter alongside Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford.

Goalkeeping and defense

• Wojciech Szczesny will be in goal, while Jules Koundé and Alejandro Balde will be the full-backs. In the center of defense, Ronald Araujo should partner with Eric García, with Andreas Christensen waiting for his opportunity on the bench alongside Pau Cubarsí. Jofre Torrents and Gerard Martín will also be available.

Midfield:

• As a pivot, Pedri González is set to partner with Frenkie de Jong in midfield, while Fermín López would be the team's attacking midfielder, given the absences of Dani Olmo and Raphinha. Marc Casadó, along with Marc Bernal, will be waiting for their opportunity on the bench. 

Forward:

• In attack, Roony Bardghji and Marcus Rashford would complete the Blaugrana attack alongside Lamine Yamal. A starter against Girona, the '10' will remain in the XI as a right winger. Dro and Toni Fernández could get minutes in the second half.

Barcelona casualties: Which players will miss the match against Olympiacos due to injury?

Ferran, Raphinha, and Olmo are out for Barça-Olympiacos

A total of seven Barça players will be confirmed absentees due to physical problems. Ferran Torres remains sidelined, as a precaution, due to discomfort in his left thigh. In that sense, the 'Shark' joins Robert Lewandowski as an offensive absentee. The Pole tore his left biceps femoris with his national team and will be out for around a month.

Alongside 'Lewy', Dani Olmo also remains in the Barça infirmary. The player from Terrassa suffered a muscular injury in the soleus of his left leg with Spain and is expected to return in early November.

Another who has not yet been medically cleared is Raphinha. The Brazilian has not yet recovered from his injury to the middle third of the biceps femoris muscle in his right thigh, although he still has a chance of at least making it to the Clásico against Real Madrid next Sunday.

Joan García, meanwhile, underwent surgery to treat an injury to his left meniscus. The player from Sallent will spend between four and six weeks in the infirmary, but his return could be postponed until mid-November. The outlook is much more complex for Gavi.

The midfielder underwent an arthroscopy and, ultimately, had to have surgery on the internal meniscus of his right knee. Therefore, the '6' will be out for between four and five months, with the tentative date for his return being February 2026. The latest casualty is Ter Stegen, who will be out of action, at least, until the end of November or the beginning of December.

Possible lineup of Olympiacos against Barcelona

• Starting XI: Tzolakis; Costinha, Retsos, Pirola, Ortega; Hezze, García; Martins, Chiquinho, Podence; El Kaabi.
• Substitutes: Paschalakis (G), Biancone, Scipioni, Vezo, Mouzakitis, Kalogeropoulos, Kouraklis, Onyemaechi, Taremi, Yaremchuk, Nascimento.
• Injured: Rodinei and Gabriel Strefezza
• Suspended: None.

Olympiacos, meanwhile, is dealing with the absences of Rodinei and Gabriel Strefazza, two important pieces for the rotation plan of the experienced Spanish coach José Luis Mendilibar. The Basque coach, barring any surprises, will repeat the XI from the previous Champions League match as a visitor against Arsenal (2-0).

Tzolakis remains in goal, as do the full-backs, Costinha and Ortega. Retsos and Pirola should be the centre-backs, with Hezze and the former Athletic player Dani García in the double defensive pivot. Chiquinho is the team's attacking midfielder, while Gelson Martins and Podence appear as wingers.

The Greeks' goal scorer and area reference is the Moroccan Ayoub El Kaabi, who comes from scoring a double last weekend and has 5 goals in 10 games. Other experienced names, such as Mehdi Taremi and Roman Yaremchuk should also have minutes in the second half in Montjuïc.

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