According to reports, despite Barcelona’s 4-0 victory in the first leg, the German coach does not consider the job done and may make changes for the Champions League quarter-final second leg.

Hans-Dieter Flick has emphasized caution in all his messages. He leaves no room for complacency in the dressing room. Both the coach and his players know that a large part of the job has been done in the quarter-final against Dortmund, but from a philosophical and mental standpoint, they have built a defensive shield to avoid any overconfidence.

For the nearly 3,000 Barcelona fans traveling to the Ruhr region, out of respect for the club and this competition, and to maintain the incredible run of 2025 where the team has yet to taste defeat, there are plenty of reasons to approach this Champions League quarter-final second leg with utmost seriousness and precision.

This is what Hans-Dieter Flick has been trying to instill in his players in recent days. It’s not easy, but it’s inherent in the German coach’s nature, and he has promoted it since arriving at Barcelona.

Fresh Faces

With that in mind, Barcelona will go all out for victory at Signal Iduna Park. Everything suggests that Flick will make at least three changes to the lineup compared to the last match against Leganés. One of these changes is mandatory. The absence of Alejandro Balde, who suffered a muscle injury in the match against Leganés and will be out for at least two weeks.

Gerard Martín is the chosen replacement for him against Dortmund, both because he is the natural successor to Balde and due to his remarkable progress. He has Flick’s full trust and now faces challenging and responsible weeks. Another change that seems certain involves Iñigo Martínez.

Unnecessary Risk with Iñigo

The Basque player is at risk of suspension. If he receives a yellow card, he will miss the first leg of the semi-final. There is no need to risk him, especially since his yellow cards will be wiped clean in the semi-final. It’s still unclear whether Ronald Araújo or Eric García will replace him. Araújo was selected for Saturday’s match at Butarque, but Flick substituted him at halftime and brought on Eric for his better playmaking abilities.

From this point onward, Gavi also has a good chance of starting. The fact that Flick kept him on the bench after not playing against Dortmund and then against Leganés is noteworthy. Fermín might be the victim of this change despite performing very well in these two matches. The possibility of Ferran Torres starting cannot be ruled out either; the player who scored two goals in the group stage at this very stadium. Robert Lewandowski might also be benched to manage his energy.