With an interim coach after the dismissal of Ronald Koeman and sensitive casualties, Barcelona travels to Kiev on Tuesday without the right to fail against Dinamo (20h00 GMT) to continue aspiring to get into the second round of the Champions League.
Third in Group E with a single victory and two painful 3-0 defeats against Benfica and Bayern Munich, Barça urgently needs to add another three points to maintain their continental aspirations.
The Barça team, which beat Dinamo a short 1-0 at the Camp Nou a fortnight ago, is confident of being able to repeat its performance against the bottom of the key, before facing their duels with Benfica and Bayern, who play the other group party.
“I hope a game like the first leg,” said on Saturday after the draw with Alavés in the League (1-1), the interim coach Sergi Barjuán.
The coach of the Barça subsidiary temporarily took over the team after the dismissal on Wednesday of Ronald Koeman and awaiting a new coach, with his sights set on Xavi Hernández.
“What I have to do is keep looking for my idea. Go looking for superiorities, have order and balance and the (occasions) that we have, plug them in,” he added to Barjuán, who affirms that he is not conditioned by the fact that he knows he is acting.
The draw against Alavés on Saturday has not served as a shock, after the two consecutive defeats against Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano, which precipitated the dismissal of Koeman.
With a very young team in his hands, which is known under pressure, Barjuán has no doubts about his priority in the face of Kiev: “Find solutions and try to revive them (the players) and focus them even more there, they are very good and they have to believe in themselves”.
Barça, ninth in the Spanish championship, will reach a crucial match without being able to count on center-back Gerard Piqué, who suffered a muscle injury to his right leg on Saturday against Alavés.
A key loss in the defense of the Catalan team, which continues without being able to count on the Uruguayan defender Ronald Araujo (hamstrings), nor the young midfielder Pedro González ‘Pedri’ (left thigh).
It is also unlikely that Argentine striker Sergio ‘Kun’ Agüero is present, who suffered a “chest discomfort” on Saturday, for which he had to undergo a cardiological examination.
While waiting for what comes out of these tests, the club will surely try not to take any risks with him.
The Barça team also has the doubts of Sergi Roberto, Frenkie de Jong and Ansu Fati, who on Sunday did part of the training with the team and could enter Barjuán’s list for Kiev.
Barça manages to dominate the ball, but continues to suffer from effectiveness, something Koeman pointed to in recent games and Jordi Alba reiterated.
“It is difficult for us to score a goal and with little that we get we get scored, and that’s how it is complicated. I hope better streaks will come,” the Barça side acknowledged on Saturday, after the draw with Alavés.
Getting back on track will be crucial on Tuesday to add a second Champions League win against Dynamo Kiev, who come to the lively match after three consecutive wins in their championship, where they are leaders.
