Barcelona enters the fixture looking to recover from a difficult defeat in Paris during the previous matchday. Hansi Flick's squad faces pressure to secure points to remain inside the top eight and avoid the complications of the knockout playoff round. The Catalan side deals with a significant injury list, missing players such as Dani Olmo, Jules Koundé, Andreas Coutinho, and Eric García, though Pedri and Pau Cubarsí are expected to feature heavily.
Meanwhile, Unai Emery brings an in-form Aston Villa side to the Spotify Camp Nou. The English club has started the Champions League campaign with a perfect record, winning all three of their opening matches alongside a select group of clubs including PSG and Real Madrid. Villa boasts a potent attack that has outscored Barcelona in the tournament so far, led by notable threats such as former Villarreal defender Pau Torres and forward Nicolas Jackson.
