{"id":4075,"date":"2025-10-21T18:35:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T16:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weisetech.dev\/fc-barcelona-noticias\/en\/dro-fernandez-surprise-in-barcelona-starting-xi-against-olympiacos_315081_102\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T18:09:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T16:09:36","slug":"dro-fernandez-surprise-in-barcelona-starting-xi-against-olympiacos_315081_102","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fcbarcelonanoticias.com\/en\/champions-league\/dro-fernandez-surprise-in-barcelona-starting-xi-against-olympiacos_315081_102.html","title":{"rendered":"Dro Fern\u00e1ndez debuts as starter in Champions League: rest for Frenkie de Jong"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dro Fern\u00e1ndez is the main novelty in Hansi Flick’s starting XI for the Bar\u00e7a-Olympiacos match. The youth player will play his first Champions League match as a starter, replacing Frenkie de Jong<\/h2> \r\n
\r\n \r\n \r\n Calendar of FC Barcelona <\/a>\r\n<\/div>

FC Barcelona<\/strong> faces Olympiacos<\/strong> this Tuesday in Montju\u00efc<\/strong> with a lineup<\/a> very similar to that of last Saturday against Girona<\/strong>. For matchday 3 of the Champions<\/strong> league stage, Hansi Flick<\/strong> has only made a couple of tweaks to his XI, with Dro Fern\u00e1ndez<\/strong> being the main novelty.<\/p>

The 17-year-old midfielder debuts in the Champions League as a starter, replacing Frenkie de Jong<\/strong>. In principle, the player from Nigr\u00e1n, who also debuted in LaLiga starting against Real Sociedad (2-1)<\/a>, will be the team’s attacking midfielder, while Pedri Gonz\u00e1lez<\/strong> returns to his usual position alongside Marc Casad\u00f3<\/strong> in midfield.<\/p>

Before the Donostia fans, Dro completed a discreet first half and was replaced after the break by Dani Olmo<\/a>. The player from Terrassa, like Raphinha<\/a> and Robert Lewandowski<\/a>, will not be available due to injury. Joan Garc\u00eda, Gavi, and Ter Stegen<\/strong> are also out against Olympiacos. Ferran Torres<\/strong>, finally, managed to be on the bench against the Greeks.<\/p>

Rest for Frenkie de Jong, new opportunity for Ferm\u00edn L\u00f3pez<\/h2>
\"Frenkie
Frenkie de Jong during the Bar\u00e7a-PSG (1-2)<\/div> <\/div> <\/div>

The ‘Shark’ could add some minutes in the second half, after a week affected by an overload in his left leg. His place in the Bar\u00e7a attack will be occupied, this Tuesday, by Ferm\u00edn L\u00f3pez<\/strong>. The player from Huelva played the second 45 minutes against Girona at a good pace and returns to the starting XI for the first time since the visit to Newcastle<\/a> on September 18.<\/p>

Ferm\u00edn spent a month injured, but he has overcome his problems in his left leg. In principle, the ’16’ would be the team’s left winger, accompanying Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford<\/strong>. The Englishman has performed very well on the wing, but this time he will play as a ‘9’ due to the absences of Ferran and Lewandowski.<\/p>

Frenkie de Jong<\/strong>, meanwhile, is being rested after four consecutive starts. The ’21’ had not been left out of the starting XI since the league visit to Oviedo (1-3), where he came on after halftime to provide an assist.<\/p>

The midfielder also played 157 minutes with his national team<\/strong> against Malta (67′) and Finland (90′), so Flick has taken the opportunity to give him a break thinking about next Sunday’s Cl\u00e1sico. A match where the coaching staff hopes to recover Raphinha and, with luck, also Olmo. Lewandowski and Joan Garc\u00eda are 100% ruled out against Real Madrid<\/a>.<\/p>

Ronald Araujo, Back on the Bench After His Goal Against Girona<\/h2>

Another surprise in the starting XI against Olympiacos was Ronald Araujo’s place on the bench, for the second consecutive match. The ‘charr\u00faa’ was Bar\u00e7a’s hero against Girona<\/a>, scoring the winning goal in the 90+3′, but Hansi Flick has once again opted for the Eric Garc\u00eda-Pau Cubars\u00ed<\/strong> duo in central defense.<\/p>

The ‘charr\u00faa’ was also a substitute in the Champions League against PSG and has only been in the starting lineup in one of the last four matches (against Sevilla). That day he committed a controversial penalty<\/a> that kicked off a forgettable afternoon for the ‘cul\u00e9s’. Cubars\u00ed has not been performing at his best, but Flick supports the ‘5’ although he is still looking for the ideal central defensive partnership this season.<\/p>