Another puzzle for Luis Enrique in the Champions League against Juventus

Juventus vs Barcelona, one of the most demanding games left this season, is a new headache for Luis Enrique. 

His plans for the game are complicated by the suspension of Sergio Busquets and the injury to Rafinha Alcantara.

If Busquets is a reference point in the centre of the pitch, bringing balance to the team, the Hispanic-Brazilian has become the player that allows the coach to use his 3-4-3 formation in the most precise way.

Luis Enrique has not repeated his midfield in the last 30 official games. The change to three at the back and a rhombus in midfield was produced after the humiliation at PSG, 4-0. 

Until that point Barcelona had tested the 3-4-3 in just one game, a 5-1 win at Leganes. 

Lucho decided to use the Dream Team formation against Atletico, winning 2-1 there, then again against PSG (6-1), and Sevilla (3-0), among other games.

However various injuries or suspensions, to the likes of Neymar, Iniesta, Rakitic and Rafinha, depending on the game, have seen Barcelona suffer at times, losing 2-1 to Deportivo and 2-0 against Malaga.

The Asturian coach thinks that some players have had more trouble than others fitting into the defence of three and Jordi Alba, for one, has fallen out of the undroppable club.

3-4-3 or 4-3-3?

With no Busquets, Lucho must decide what formation to play in Turin. Everything indicates Mascherano will play as the pivote, somewhere he already featured in the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals against Real Sociedad (5-2) and the Copa del Rey semi first leg vs Atletico (1-2) at the Calderon. 

The Argentine will cover the backs of Rakitic and Iniesta in front of Pique and Umtiti… if it’s not a defence of three with Sergi Roberto or Jordi Alba.