Xavi: “We need to attack better”. Barca vs Inter team news and predicted XI

Barcelona will be hosting Inter Milan to Camp Nou for a crucial match on Wednesday night in an effort to significantly increase their chances of moving on to the Champions League knockout phase.

If Barca loses and Bayern Munich wins against last-place Viktoria Plzen, Barca won’t be able to advance to the round of 16.

With three points from three games, Barcelona is currently third in Group C, six points behind group leader Bayern Munich and three points behind Inter.

The Catalan team has been dominant in La Liga, and on Sunday night, they defeated Celta Vigo 1-0 to make it seven straight wins.

Prior to this weekend’s El Clasico at the Bernabeu, Barcelona and Real Madrid are tied for first place in La Liga with 22 points each. However, Xavi’s team cannot afford to ignore Wednesday’s crucial European match.

Inter had just suffered consecutive Serie A losses to Udinese and Roma when they faced Barcelona last week, but they were able to come away with all three points thanks to an outstanding display.

Inter also enter into this game off of a significant Serie A win, having defeated Sassuolo 2-1, with two goals from Eden Dzeko for the Milan giants, who are currently seventh in their domestic standing with 15 points.

Since reaching the final eight in 2010–11, the Italian giants have failed to get past the first knockout round of the competition.

The Black and Blues last visited Camp Nou in the group stage of the 2019–20 competition and lost 2-1, but Barcelona has lost three of their past six Champions League games in front of their home fans, so the visitors should feel confident.

The 42-year-old said the following ahead of tonight clash:

“We expect Inter to play very similar to how they played in Milan. They have a low block, but we have alternatives. We are ready, we have to look like the Barça of the last 20 minutes in Milan. It’s a final for us,” Xavi said.

“Wednesday’s game is crucial, we haven’t done our homework and now we have a chance to pull ourselves together in the group. We’re in an uncomfortable situation but we’ll give it all”.

“We need to attack better. I think in the first half we didn’t understand the role of Marcos Alonso and Raphinha. We have to be more vertical, more aggressive”.

“We must not let our guard down. There is talent, there is a desire for revenge, so we have to give everything to win tomorrow.

“On Wednesday, we have to be calm, to know how to position ourselves, we don’t need to score in the first minute. I always tell the players that the pressure is on me. We have to be patient, but if we attack like we did in the second half in Milan, I’m optimistic.

“For me, playing well means having the ball, and attacking, but I understand other methodologies. That’s why I wasn’t satisfied against Celta”.

Against Celta last weekend, Barcelona welcomed back Frenkie de Jong from injury, but Andreas Christensen, Hector Bellerin, Ronald Araujo, Memphis Depay, and Jules Kounde are still out.

For the Italian powerhouses Inter, Marcelo Brozovic, Alex Cordaz, Joaquin Correa, and Gabriel Brazao are still on the sidelines.

Romelu Lukaku has a chance to be available for selection after recovering from the muscular issue that has kept him out since the end of August, but he won’t be considered for a start.

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Barcelona possible starting lineup:

Ter Stegen; Roberto, Pique, E Garcia, Alonso; Gavi, Busquets, Pedri; Dembele, Lewandowski, Fati

Inter Milan possible starting lineup:

Onana; Skriniar, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; L Martinez, Dzeko