FC Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez is expected to make seven changes to the side that lost against Girona at the weekend when the Catalans face Royal Antwerp in the Champions League.
The Blaugrana currently top Group H and have qualification to the knockout phases for the first time since 2021 secure.
They currently boast 12 points at the summit, with Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk trailing on nine.
The two rivals vying for one of two vacant spots face off in the group’s other match, and a win for Porto by more than two goals while Barca lose in Belgium would sentence Xavi’s men to second and a meeting with a first placed foe in the last 16 next year.
The head coach under fire for saying his team is “under construction” has to take confidence from a 5-0 win Barca achieved over Antwerp in their opening game in the competition this term, however, and also rest key players for Saturday’s match against Valencia in La Liga if he can.
Between the sticks, Xavi will again go for Inaki Pena in the absence of Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
The back line looks much different, however, with La Masia graduate Hector Fort coming in for Ronald Araujo at right back and Alejandro Balde reclaiming his position as a left back.
In the center, Andreas Christensen and a struggling Jules Kounde responsible for at least a couple of Girona’s goals in the 4-2 rout partner up.
The midfield has a completely different face too with Oriol Romeu operating as a pivot behind captain Sergi Roberto and Fermin Lopez.
On the front line, Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal are the left and right wingers while Robert Lewandowski makes a surprise start.
Despite fielding what can be described as a second string team, Xavi emphasised at his pre-match press conference that “we want to end the group stage having done what we need to do”.
At some stage in the proceedings he could also play Ilkay Gundogan and Araujo who were called up to the team last minute with Lewandowski.
