Gavi Faces Injury Doubt Ahead Of Champions League Match Against Benfica

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Barcelona's midfielder Gavi might miss the Champions League match against Benfica on Wednesday, as stated by manager Hansi Flick. Gavi, who played in Barcelona's exciting 5-4 victory over Benfica in January, has been on the bench for the last two league matches. He missed a training session due to illness. "We will see. Yesterday he did not train as he did not feel so good. He will visit the doctor again. We have to wait," Flick mentioned on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old has participated in 24 games this season, scoring twice and assisting three times since recovering from an ACL injury. Flick emphasised the need for caution with Gavi's playing time given his recent return from a significant injury. "Gavi also came back from a huge injury, and we have to take care of that and (be cautious) when we play every three to four days," Flick added.

Gavi is versatile, capable of playing multiple positions beyond just number 10, and is skilled with the ball. Dani Olmo also thrives in this role, contributing goals and creating opportunities for the team.

Barcelona concluded the league phase in second place. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid secured fifth position, and Real Madrid had to overcome Manchester City with a 6-3 aggregate win in their play-off to advance to the last-16 stage. Atletico and Real Madrid are set to face each other in their round-of-16 match later on Tuesday.

When asked if Barcelona had an easier draw compared to their rivals, Flick dismissed this notion by highlighting January's intense win at Benfica. The victory was only clinched by Raphinha's goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time during the second half.

Challenges Ahead Against Benfica

Flick acknowledged that at this stage of the competition, no game is easy as every team has earned its place here. "Benfica are a fantastic team, the atmosphere is very special there, and they keep pushing," Flick said. Benfica plays with confidence, making them challenging to defend against; however, Barcelona has a strategy and is well-prepared for this encounter.

According to Opta's data-driven simulations, Barcelona has a 16% chance of winning the Champions League this season. Only Liverpool has been given a higher probability at 19%.