Sandro Ramirez gets the nod from Luis Enrique to replace the injured Lionel Messi in the Barcelona team to play Bayer Leverkusen.
Messi on Saturday suffered a knee injury that will sideline him for two months and it had been suggested that the Coach could move Barca to a 4-4-2 formation, with Neymar and Luis Suarez in attack.
Instead it’s youngster Sandro who starts in what appears to be Barca’s usual 4-3-3, with Neymar and Suarez also included.
Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic and Andres Iniesta make up the midfield trio but there’s no starting place for Jordi Alba, who has returned to the squad after injury.
Instead Jeremy Mathieu is named at left back in a defence that also comprises Javier Mascherano, Gerard Pique and Dani Alves, with Marc-Andre Ter Stegen continuing in goal.
The Leverkusen selection sees a return to Spain for Javier Hernandez, who spent last season on at Real Madrid, and the likes of Karim Bellarabi and Hakan Calhanoglu are also named by Coach Roger Schmidt.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Mathieu; Busquets, Rakitic, Iniesta; Sandro, Suarez, Neymar
Subs: Masip, Douglas, Bartra, Alba, Gumbau, Sergi Roberto, Munir
Bayer Leverkusen: Leno; Tah, Papadopoulos, Wendell, Donati; Bender, Calhanoglu, Kramer; Bellarabi, Kampl, Hernandez
Subs: Kresic, Andre Ramalho, Hilbert, Boenisch, Brandt, Kiessling, Mehmedi
Referee: Atkinson [ENG]
