Barcelonavs.Bayern

Olmo missed six games after picking up an injury in the 4-1 win over Girona last month, while De Jong and Gavi are yet to start a game this season, with the latter getting his first minutes in almost a year at the weekend following an ACL tear.

All three were on the bench for the 5-1 win over Sevilla, with manager Hansi Flick not needing to take any chances given how comfortable an evening it was, but this high-profile encounter could see some of them enter the fold.

One player unlikely to get a first start of the season, and his Barca debut, is Wojciech Szczesny, as Flick is set to keep faith with stand-in keeper Inaki Pena, who has been deputising for the stricken Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Just in front of Pena, 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi is set to start yet again next to Inigo Martinez, with Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araujo still sidelined.

Robert Lewandowski will likely lead the line against the side where he spent eight trophy-laden years, coming up against his former club for the third time since departing Bayern in 2022.

The Polish marksman has failed to score in his last nine meetings with Bayern, including the two in the group stage in 2022 when the Bavarians did the double over Barca, but he is currently on a phenomenal run in front of goal, with 10 goals in his last six games at club level.

Flanking Barca's number nine should be Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, with the latter set to move out wide after starting centrally on Sunday so Flick could hand a rare start to Ansu Fati.

Elsewhere on the injury front, Marc Bernal is unlikely to feature again this season after an ACL tear of his own, and Ferran Torres is still out with a hamstring problem.

Barcelona possible starting lineup:

Inaki Pena; Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Balde; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski