Flick is in new trouble due to the midfield crisis

Barcelona travel to Belgium to face Club Brugge on Wednesday evening in a crucial Champions League group stage match, but the team faces a clear midfield crisis that could put coach Hansi Flick in a difficult position ahead of their upcoming clash with Chelsea. Barça have been dealt a blow with the confirmation that Pedri will be sidelined for at least three weeks due to injury, forcing Flick to once again rely on the duo of Frenkie de Jong and Marc Casado in the double pivot position. However, the problem is that these two players are the only ones at risk of suspension in Barcelona's European squad, and if either receives a yellow card tonight, they will miss the highly anticipated match against Chelsea on November 25th at Stamford Bridge. Barcelona need a win to confirm their resurgence after their recent victory over Elche and to make amends for their disappointing performance in El Clásico against Real Madrid, but they must also be cautious to ensure their key players remain available for the London showdown. Marc Bernal is still only playing limited minutes after returning from a long-term knee injury that sidelined him for over a year, so Flick is hesitant to risk him at this stage, and Pedri's availability for the Chelsea game remains uncertain. Thus, keeping De Jong and Casado without penalties becomes Flick's biggest challenge, as he enters the Bruges match with one motto: to win without further losses.