Club Brugge will look to bring an end to their two-game losing streak in the UEFA Champions League when they host giants Barcelona.

Having returned to winning ways against Olympiacos last time out, Barcelona will be eyeing their third win of the new UEFA Champions League campaign when they hit the road to square up against Club Brugge.

The home team are 20th on the Champions League table with one win and two defeats in their three outings. While they kick-started their campaign with an impressive 4-1 win over Ligue 1 giants AS Monaco, the Belgian outfit have since suffered defeats at the hands of Atalanta and Bayern Munich.

Since their 4-0 thrashing at the hands of the German club, Club Brugge have won their three subsequent domestic fixtures, which will certainly give them confidence heading into this one. However, going up against the Spanish giants certainly won’t be easy.

Meanwhile, the visitors are ninth on the Champions League table with two wins and a defeat so far. The Blaugeana started their campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Newcastle United, but they failed to go past defending champions PSG (1-2). However, Hansi Flick’s men did return to winning ways with a sensational 6-1 win over Olympiacos.

After losing to Real Madrid in the Clasico, the Catalan giants bounced back in fine fashion against Elche (3-1), and they will now be looking to build on that result. Given the difference in quality of both squads, Barcelona are out-and-out favourites for this one. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.

Team News & Tactics

Club Brugge

Club Brugge will be without the services of four key first-team stars in Bjorn Meijer, Simon Mignolet, Ludovit Reis, and Raphael Onyedika due to injury.

The home team will line up in a 4-5-1 formation, where Nordin Jackers will take charge in goal. Kyriani Sabbe and Joaquin Seys should be the full-backs, while Joel Ordonez should start alongside Brandon Mechele in the heart of the defence.

Carlos Forbs and Christos Tzolis will feature out wide on the flanks in midfield. The duo will look to support the full-backs as well as provide width to their attack on the break. In the centre of the park, Hans Vanaken will start alongside Aleksandar Stankovic and Lynnt Audoor.

The trio will have a lot of defending to do, and they will look to ensure Barcelona do not dominate the ball too deep in their half. Finally, Nicolo Tresoldi will spearhead the Club Brugge attack against Barcelona on Wednesday.

Probable Lineup (4-5-1): Jackers; Sabbe, Ordonez, Mechele, Seys; Forbs, Audoor, Stankovic, Vanaken, Tzolis; Tresoldi

Barcelona

Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo made their return last time out in La Liga, and they should once again be a part of the squad. While Joan Garcia is back in training, he is not yet ready to feature in the squad.

Andreas Christensen is also closing in on a return, but this fixture is a touch too early for him. However, Pedri, Gavi, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and Raphinha remain in the treatment room for the away side.

Barcelona will continue to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Wojciech Szczesny will take charge in goal. Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde will be the full-backs, while Pau Cubarsi should return to the starting line-up to partner Eric Garcia in the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Marc Casado should form the double pivot with Frenkie de Jong in the centre of the park. The duo will look to ensure they dominate the ball and dictate the tempo of the game.

Fermin Lopez will feature as the attacking midfielder, while Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford will provide width to their attacks from the flanks. Ferran Torres will lead the line for Barcelona against Club Brugge, with Lewandowski not yet ready to start.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Balde; Casado, de Jong; Yamal, Fermin, Rashford; Ferran Torres

Key Stats

• Club Brugge have squared up against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League on two occasions in the past, and they have lost both those fixtures.
• The two teams met during the group stage of the 2002/03 season, where Barcelona won 3-2 at home and 1-0 away.
• Club Brugge are heading into this fixture on the back of three straight wins across competitions.
• Barcelona have lost three out of their last six outings in all competitions.
• Since the start of last season Barcelona are the leading goalscorers in the UEFA Champions League with 52 goals and have scored three or more goals in 11 different games, more often than any other side.

Player to Watch

Marcus Rashford

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The English international has completely turned things around since joining Barcelona on loan from Manchester United. While the 28-year-old had a slowish start, he has certainly hit top gear in recent weeks. With Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha spending time on the sidelines and Lamine Yamal struggling, Rashford has been the go-to man for Hansi Flick.

In his 14 outings, he has been involved in 13 goals (six goals, seven assists). Rashford has been their standout performer in the UEFA Champions League, having contributed towards six goals in three outings. Given his red-hot form, he will certainly be the one to watch out for.

Prediction

Club Brugge 0-3 Barcelona

Barcelona will look to build on their recent win over Elche when they travel to face Club Brugge on Tuesday night. Despite key injuries, the Catalan giants boast plenty of attacking firepower, with Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres in fine form.

Given their dominance in possession and quality in the final third, the Blaugrana will be eager to take control of proceedings early and secure their third win of the UEFA Champions League campaign. Club Brugge, meanwhile, will hope to make the most of their home advantage as they look to bounce back from two consecutive defeats in Europe.

The Belgian giants have won their last three domestic fixtures, which should give them some belief heading into this clash. However, Club Brugge will need to be at their absolute best to contain Barcelona’s fluid attack and creativity. The Hard Tackle predicts a straightforward 3-0 win for Hansi Flick and his charges.