FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick will make a big decision when it comes to picking the team that will host Atletico Madrid in Spain’s top La Liga game on Saturday evening.

Diego Simeone’s side are currently the best in the country and have won 11 in a row, level on points with Barca.

At the same time, however, it should be noted that the world-class coach has never managed to beat the Blaugrana on their own turf in his 13-year tenure with more than 700 games.

At a pre-match press conference on Friday, Flick said that the game of the weekend was a “great game” in which the Catalans would “play against one of the best in La Liga”.

“Today we are first in La Liga and second in the Champions League. We lost a few points and it was tough in the last game against Leganes and Las Palmas,” said the German about the recent surprising home defeats against supposedly inferior opponents.

“There is respect for them. In football, the team that makes the fewest mistakes wins. It happened and we have to accept it. I can say it, we always have a young team and we have to improve. We will fight to the end.” “We will. We know it won’t be easy to play against Atletico.”

As well as trying to stay three points clear at the top, Barca are also working to avoid three defeats in a row at their temporary home, the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Montjuic.

Inaki Pena will start in goal and has a defensive line of Alejandro Balde, Inigo Martinez, Pau Cubarsi and Jules Kounde in front of him.

As part of a 4-3-2-1, Marc Casado is the linchpin of midfielders Dani Olmo and Pedri.

In attack, Flick unfortunately cannot rely on Lamine Yamal, who is out through injury for at least the rest of 2024, meaning he is forced to make a big decision on an issue that was discussed at length in the lead-up to matchday.

This is negated by Ferran Torres replacing the 17-year-old directly on the right wing, while Raphinha continues to occupy the left wing while they support striker Robert Lewandowski.

Starting XI of FC Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid: Pena; Balde, Inigo, Cubarsi, Kounde; Casado, Olmo, Pedri; Raphinha, Ferran; Lewandowski