Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez will have a huge task on his hands over the next three matches, as he prepares for life without Robert Lewandowski.
The Polish striker has been in fantastic form for Barca since joining from Bayern Munich last summer. He currently leads the goalscoring charts in La Liga, having scored 13 times in 15 appearances.
However, he will be unavailable for Barcelona’s next three league matches, following the decision to uphold his suspension following his red card against Osasuna in November.
The three candidates to replace Lewandowski are Ferran Torres, Ansu Fati and Memphis Depay. All three have had underwhelming seasons at Barca this season, but the opportunity has been presented for them to turn their fortunes around.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s match against Atletico Madrid, Xavi discussed his options for the forward line, and pinpointed where they can benefit the team, as per MD.
“Ferran is more mobile and can generate a lot of space for his teammates. His work without the ball is very good. People don’t value it, but it helps us in defence.
“Ansu is different, as he is more positional. Both are capable of playing as a number nine. There is also the option of Memphis who can play there too.”
Fati was the man that had been reported to replace Lewandowski, before the Pole’s ban was suspended and allowed him to play last weekend. It remains to be seen whether Fati remains as first choice, or if Torres or Depay plays instead.
