FC Barcelona Versus Napoli: How Will Setien’s Men Line Up In Champions League, As Reports Conflict?

At long last it is Champions League week, which means at the turn of it, on Monday, speculation has already begun as to how FC Barcelona will line up against Napoli.

Providing they can get past the Italians, at their Camp Nou fortress where they have not been beaten on the continent in over seven years, the Blaugrana will then head to Lisbon for a unique one-and-out format of Europe’s premier club competition that decides its quarters, semis and final from August 12-23.

Back to the task at hand, however, overcoming Gennaro Gattuso’s men in the last 16 will be no cake walk. And while nursing an away goal from the 1-1 draw that played out at the Stadio San Paolo in February, coach Quique Setien is without a number of high-profile stars in the return leg due to injuries and suspensions.

This morning, SPORT have gone all out by claiming that the Blaugrana will set up in a 3-5-2.

As some fans may remember, it was with this approach that Setien got his tenure underway in January. Following a string of poor results, however, such as the humbling 2-0 road loss to Valencia, he was subsequently beaten into submission and forced into honoring the sacred 4-3-3.

What is most interesting about this supposed XI is that it sees Nelson Semedo act as a third, right-sided center back alongside Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet. Samuel Umtiti injured, Ronald Araujo’s fitness is also sketchy after his commitments with the B team.

In a five-man midfield, Sergi Roberto and Jordi Alba are the right and left wingbacks while Frenkie de Jong, Ivan Rakitic and Riqui Puig operate in the center. At the same time Sergio Busquets and Arturo Vidal are suspended, Arthur has returned to Brazil without permission and will never play for FC Barcelona again before completing his summer transfer to Juventus.

Up top, Lionel Messi is expected to partner Luis Suarez while Antoine Griezmann is still not 100%.

Over at rival publication Mundo Deportivo, though, it is believed that Setien will bank on the 4-3-1-2 that worked so well at Villarreal – in what was by far Barça’s best performance under the coach yet and also since the post-pandemic restart of top flight soccer.

This sees a normal back four of Alba, Lenglet, Pique and Semedo from left to right, and then a midfield trio of Roberto and De Jong supported by a pivoting Rakitic, which spells an evening starting from the bench for Master Puig.

With Messi acting as an actual central midfield attacking ‘10’, the marked difference between these potential XIs is the return of Griezmann to the fold in one as a second striker to Suarez.

Scoring a delightful chip on the stroke of half time, in the mentioned and impressive 1-4 win, the Frenchman is thought of as being in sufficient shape to play from the offset by MD.

In conclusion, it is notable how both forecasts share an assertion that there are no opportunities for the in-form Ansu Fati.