Football Italia
·29 January 2025
Football Italia
·29 January 2025
Atalanta hope Mateo Retegui and Charles De Ketelaere can upset Barcelona to snatch direct access to the Champions League Round of 16.
It kicks off at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys at 20.00 GMT, as Camp Nou is undergoing reconstruction work.
The Blaugrana and Liverpool are the only teams going into this final matchday who are already sure of a top eight finish.
La Dea are at least in the play-offs and sit in seventh place, but a giant-killing spree here could put them directly into the Round of 16.
Atalanta lost Ademola Lookman for several weeks to injury, joining Odilon Kossounou and Gianluca Scamacca on the long-term absentee list.
Marten de Roon can start, despite a head injury in the victory over Como, as Retegui tries to continue his impressive recent goal-scoring form.
Mario Pasalic gets the nod as the trequartista rather than Lazar Samardzic.
Former Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny comes out of retirement to join Barcelona. (Picture via www.fcbarcelona.com)
Barcelona give the gloves to ex-Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and managed to qualify early thanks to a wild 5-4 victory over Benfica, a game they had been losing 4-2 until the 78th minute.
Big names include Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal, while Pedri returns to bolster the midfield.
Dani Olmo, Inigo Martinez, Andreas Christensen, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Marc Bernal are out of action.
Fresh off a 7-1 win in LaLiga against Valencia, Hansi Flick’s side are brimming with confidence.
Barcelona: Szczesny; Koundé, Araujo, Eric Garcia, Balde; Pedri, F de Jong; Yamal, Gavi, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Atalanta: Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Zappacosta; Pasalic; Retegui, De Ketelaere
Ref: Oliver (ENG)