Barça vs. Dortmund: Valverde has three decisions to make for vital game
Dembele or Griezmann? Arthur or Arturo Vidal? Umtiti or Araujo?
Ernesto Valverde has some big decisions to make ahead of Wednesday's Champions League game against German side Borussia Dortmund.
If Barça beat Dortmund they will book their place in the last 16 as group winners. However, even a draw could complicate things if Inter Milan beat Slavia Prague in this week's other game. It would likely mean Valverde's side would need at least a point from their final game in Italy.
With that in mind, three points against Dortmund are essential. So Valverde must make the right choices...
DEMBÉLÉ OR GRIEZMANN
Both could play, as they did in Leganes, when the result served to disguise Barça's poor performance. The two France internationals were especially poor. The idea was that with so much talent they should both be on the pitch. However, Dembele remains inconsistent and Griezmann's not the player that arrived from Atletico Madrid for more than 100 million euros yet.
Valverde's obliged to get the best out of them, but only one is likely to play alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez this week. His doubts over which one are extending to doubts in both players. Sticking with and being prepared to die with an idea could be the base of success here. The constant changes generate more and more doubts.
ARTHUR OR ARTURO VIDAL
The Brazilian does not seem 100 percent focused on Barcelona. Something seems off and that has seen Valverde leave him out of several squads. Vidal, meanwhile, is not like by the style purists, which is normal because he's not Xavi or Iniesta, but he has something Arthur does not: the resistance of someone who has fought hard to reach his position. Here Valverde also must make a decision: keep insisting on style or look for something different.
UMTITI OR ARAUJO
Gerard Pique is banned and will not play. Clement Lenglet should recover from a calf problem to feature. There's one place left: the big test for Samuel Umtiti, who needs to demonstrate he can play two games in a week. If there are any doubts, Ronald Araujo, who Valverde really likes, could come in. He has been training with the first team this week.
