How will Barcelona line up against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday?
Valverde has a number of options available as the Champions League returns
With Barcelona's 2018-19 Champions League campaign about to kick off on Tuesday against PSV Eindhoven, there are various issues which Ernesto Valverde must decide on.
Barça captain Lionel Messi has made it clear: the club's big objective this season is to win a sixth European Cup.
For that reason, the team needs to start on the right note when the debut in this season's competition against Dutch champions PSV, now coached by former Barça midfielder Mark van Bommel.
CHOICE
The first dilemma facing Valverde is narrowing down the squad to just 18. With Denis Suarez fit again, the coach has 18 midfielders available. Arthur Melo is also fit, so some players will be left disappointed.
Equally, another Brazilian, Malcom, has to be kept in mind. An ankle injury's kept him out longer than expected but he's now back training with the group. In principle, he will be back for the weekend, against Girona.
This could all affect other members of the squad, like Rafinha, who made his first start in La Liga this season as Barça beat Real Sociedad 2-1 on Saturday.
No one doubts that Sergio Busquets and Philippe Coutino will come back into the team, though.
LINE-UP
If Valverde wants, he has what seems to be his Gala XI in perfect conditions. That would mean a backline of Ter Stegen, Sergi Roberto, Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti and Jordi Alba. Nelson Semedo and Clement Lenglet are other options.
The midfield trio would be Busquets, Rakitic and Coutinho. Valverde rotated in San Sebastian (Roberto and Rafinha played ahead of Rakitic), which leaves Arthur and Vidal as other alternatives.
DembELE
There's no room to speculate in attack, with the three-man front line of Leo Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele expected to continue. The France forward's been in great form this season, while the Uruguayan is also finding his shooting boots. As for Messi, Leo is Messi. What more can you add?
