FC Barcelona Versus AS Monaco Champions League Preview: Flick Makes Line Up Change

FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick will make one major change to his line up when an unbeaten team makes its 2024/2025 Champions League debut away at AS Monaco on Thursday night.

Coincidentally, the Ligue 1 outfit were the last to beat the Catalans back in August when they trounced Flick's men 3-0 at the Montjuic Stadium in the Joan Gamper Trophy match.

Since then, however, Barca has put up a 100% record in La Liga with five wins from five, and currently leads the Spanish top flight with a four-point advantage over bitter rivals Real Madrid.

"I think we've played very well," Flick said at his prematch press conference on Wednesday evening. "This is the idea, you can see how we press, the commitment of the players. The team has a lot of quality.

"Many players were very young when we started in pre-season, then the internationals came and raised the level. We want to transmit the philosophy, but it is the players who have to do it on the pitch and to date with five victories they are doing it," he added.

While the victories have piled up, however, so have the injuries. This means that Flick will have to make changes to his first XI at the Stade Louis II, with Ferran Torres indirectly coming in for Dani Olmo.

Torres takes Raphinha's left wing berth, as the Brazilian moves into the center of attacking midfield to occupy Olmo's berth alongside Pedri.

Marc Casado is a sole pivot behind them, as Lamine Yamal remains the undisputable right winger and Robert Lewandowski the number 9 striker.

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Back in defense, it is the same back four that along with goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen has conceded just four goals thus far.

From left to right, it consists of Alejandro Balde, Inigo Martinez, Pau Cubarsi and a Jules Kounde who confirmed he would support a players' striker over the ever-congested football calendar at his own prematch press conference.

FC Barcelona Versus AS Monaco First XI: Ter Stegen; Balde, Inigo, Cubarsi, Kounde; Casado, Pedri, Raphinha; Torres, Lamine; Lewandowski