Barcelona superstar expected to be dropped for Viktoria Plzen clash – report

After securing a narrow 1-0 victory over Valencia, Barcelona are set to face their final contest in the UEFA Champions League group stages as they take on Viktoria Plzen in midweek.

The Catalans are out of the contest, though Xavi stressed the importance of ending on a positive note shortly after the win over Valencia. Nevertheless, Barça are not expected to field a strong squad against Plzen, knowing there is nothing left to play for.

With that in mind, Robert Lewandowski is likely to be excluded from the trip to the Czech Republic this midweek. The Polish international will be given a well-deserved break, after playing a vital role in the club’s attacking setup, reports Toni Juanmarti.

This report comes after Lewandowski’s starring role in the win over Valencia, where the forward scored a late winner to seal all three points for his side.

The game also meant that Lewandowski has now featured in 1,389 out of a possible 1,530 minutes of football this season. As such, Barcelona will hand him a breather for the midweek contest against Viktoria Plzen.

In his absence, Ferran Torres could get the nod in the number nine role, though there are other contenders such as Ansu Fati.

Apart from Lewandowski, Barcelona are expected to be without Eric Garcia. The former Manchester City centre-back picked up a nasty knock in the win over Valencia and his injury is thought to be serious.

Garcia is due to undergo tests to determine the extent of his injury but early signs indicate that he will miss the game against Viktoria Plzen.