Flick’s Squad Is Ready: Barça Faces Dortmund with Confidence and One Big Return
Alright, let’s talk about one of the most exciting nights we’ve got coming up in European football—Barcelona versus Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. The stage is set at the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc, and Hansi Flick has officially announced his squad. And yes, there’s a notable return that could make a difference.
First things first—after missing the LaLiga clash against Real Betis, Iñigo Martínez is back. That’s a boost for the defense, no doubt. Flick didn’t hesitate to include him in the list, and by the looks of it, Iñigo’s not just back in the squad—he’s tipped to start. That’s huge, especially with Ter Stegen, Dani Olmo, Marc Casadó, and Marc Bernal still out due to injuries. Though, Olmo might still sneak into contention soon depending on how he progresses.
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Now, the big question floating around is who’s going to step into the role Dani Olmo would’ve played. The debate is between Fermín and Gavi, but if the training sessions and recent form are anything to go by, Fermín seems to have the edge right now. That said, knowing Flick, surprises are never off the table.
Barcelona heads into this tie in excellent form. They’re sitting pretty at the top of LaLiga, already booked their ticket to the Copa del Rey final, and they’ve got their eyes locked on the Champions League trophy. Triple crown dreams are alive and well in Catalunya. And guess what? Their potential final opponent in both LaLiga and the Copa is none other than Real Madrid, who’ve got their own problems after a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the other quarterfinal.
The full squad Flick has called up includes 23 players. It’s a strong list: goalkeepers Szczesny, Iñaki Peña, and Kochen; defenders like Koundé, Araujo, Balde, Cubarsí, and the returning Iñigo; midfield maestros Pedri, De Jong, Gavi, and Fermín; and up front, the deadly mix of Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Ferran Torres, and Ansu Fati.
Dortmund comes in knowing they’ll need to fight hard—Barcelona already beat them earlier in the campaign with a 3-2 scoreline in Germany. But this is Champions League football. Nothing’s guaranteed. Dortmund will be looking for revenge when they host the return leg on April 15, but to even get to that point with a chance, they’ll need to survive this first battle in Montjuïc.
So yeah, all eyes on Barcelona. Flick’s got his men ready. The squad’s strong. The momentum is real. And for the fans? This is the moment where dreams either take flight or crash hard. Let’s see what kind of statement Barça makes tonight.
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