Barcelona announce squad to face United

Wednesday 15 February 2023 13:40

Barcelona have announced a 22-man squad for their home leg of the Europa League play-off against Manchester United.

The players available for selection by head coach Xavi at the Nou Camp this Thursday evening (kick-off 17:45 GMT) include the prolific goalscoring veteran Robert Lewandowski and two former Chelsea stars in left wing-back Marcos Alonso and central defender Andreas Christensen, whose image adorns the official tweet below.

Other ex-Premier League names in the squad include the Brazilian winger Raphinha, who was acquired from Leeds United last summer, and young forward Ferran Torres, who spent the 2020/21 season with Manchester City before moving on to Barcelona in the following winter transfer window.

As previously expected, key midfielders Sergio Busquets and Ousmane Dembele are both notably absent from Barcelona's list.

Busquets, who has spent his entire career with Barcelona and played against United in the 2009 and 2011 Champions League finals, is ruled out due to the ankle injury he suffered after just eight minutes of the 3-0 home victory over Sevilla earlier this month. He was replaced in that game by Franck Kessie, the Ivory Coast international signed from AC Milan last summer.

Meanwhile, France international Dembele has been sidelined since sustaining a thigh problem during Barcelona's 1-0 away win over Girona on 28 January.

FULL SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Arnau Tenas, Inaki Pena

Defenders: Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Marcos Alonso, Jordi Alba, Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Alejandro Balde

Midfielders: Pedri, Franck Kessie, Sergi Roberto, Frenkie De Jong, Marc Casado, Gavi, Pablo Torre

Forwards: Robert Lewandowski, Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres, Raphinha, Angel Alarcon.

The Reds' travelling squad for the first leg will be published on ManUtd.com and in the United App later this afternoon, ahead of Erik ten Hag's pre-match press conference which you can watch live from 17:45 GMT across club media.

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