Barça squad named for Huesca

Ernesto Valverde has called up 18 players for the trip

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana are back in La Liga action with a trip to face bottom of the table Huesca, and Ernesto Valverde has called up the following 18 players to be in uniform on Saturday:

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Goalkeepers: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen, 13. Jasper Cillessen

Defenders: 2. Nélson Semedo, 6. Jean-Clair Todibo, 15. Clément Lenglet, 17. Jeison Murillo, 18. Jordi Alba, 23. Samuel Umtiti, 40. Moussa Wagué

Midfielders: 7. Philippe Coutinho, 8. Arthur, 21. Carles Aleñá, 22. Arturo Vidal, 28. Riqui Puig

Forwards: 11. Ousmane Dembélé, 14. Malcom, 19. Kevin-Prince Boateng, 29. Abel Ruiz

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With the decisive Champions League game against Manchester United on Tuesday and an 11-point lead at the top of the table, Valverde makes a massive rotation to the squad against the worst team in the league: Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets get a day off, along with the suspended Gerard Piqué and Luis Suárez and the ill Ivan Rakitic, as well as Sergi Roberto who has a minor injury. That’s six starters out, plus the other two injured players in Rafinha (knee) and Thomas Vermaelen (Vermaelen).

All the absences mean a chance for plenty of young players to be in uniform, including Todibo, Wagué, Riqui Puig and Abel Ruiz. They might even get a chance to play if the game is in Barça’s hands, which would be awesome for the kids.

Predicted starting XI (4-3-3):

Cillessen; Semedo, Murillo, Umtiti, Wagué; Vidal, Arthur, Puig; Malcom, Boateng, Aleñá

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The match starts at 4.15pm CET (Barcelona), 3.15pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 10.15am ET, 7.15am PT (USA), 7.45pm IST (India), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.

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