How Barcelona are set to line up in Champions League against Juventus

The absence of the suspended Sergio Busquets will condition Barcelona's starting line-up at Juventus. With Busquets in the team, Luis Enrique is clear: 3-4-3. And the results have been good with that formation in recent weeks. But the absence of the midfielder ponders a question which the Blaugrana boss much answer in the coming hours.  

Luis Enrique's first option to maintain 3-4-3 and use Javier Mascherano in midfield. If opts for that alternative, then he will have to decide who to play on the right of the back three. His first choise defence has been Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti and the Argentine of late. The possibility of Jeremy Mathieu playing reduced with the Frenchman's nightmare performance at Malaga. And choosing Jordi Alba could seem a little bit dangerous.  

The second option the Barça coach has is to stick with 3-4-3, but to 're-invent' a more attacking midfielder, which could be Ivan Rakitic. The problem then is who goes alongside Andres Iniesta: Andre Gomes or Denis Suarez. Both have shown they're not ready to play a high risk game such as the one in Turin, especially the former, whose statistics say it all. 

RETURN TO 4-3-3 

The third option Luis Enrique has it ro revert back to the traditional 4-3-3, a system which has seen its effectiveness reduce throughout the course of the current campaign. Most recently, on Saturday against Malaga. However, on this occasion it could be the best solution, with Mascherano in midfield and Sergi Roberto and Jordi Alba as full-backs. A 4-3-3 which, in some phases of play could become 3-4-3, with Mascherano dropping into the back three, Iniesta and Rakitic in a double pivot and Robero and Alba pushed up as interiors. 

Considering this, the most likely Barcelona line up at Juventus will be the following: 

FC BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Piqué, Umtiti, Jordi Alba; Mascherano, Rakitic, Iniesta; Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar.