Coach Praises Defensive Revival Amid Injury Returns as Catalans Eye Top-Eight UCL Spot vs Eintracht Frankfurt at Revived Camp Nou.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick hailed his side’s defending as reaching “another level” on Monday, crediting a trio of recent La Liga triumphs after a bruising 3-0 Champions League loss to Chelsea late November, per sportblits.com.

Defensive Surge Powers Three-Game Streak

The Catalans, who sit four points clear atop La Liga after 5-3 (Real Betis) and 3-1 (Atletico Madrid) wins last week, have reclaimed fluency with key returns from injury. Flick explained: “Everyone knows what happened in the last three months: a lot of injuries, very important players out… the last weeks we have to manage the minutes and the load of every player.“

Despite conceding three to Betis, two in the final 10 minutes from exhaustion, he lauded the high defensive line: “The (back) line is doing really good, we’re getting pressure on the ball, we are connected. This is what we need. And the (high) line, they play it on another level than maybe one month, five weeks ago.” Echoing a 3-3 Club Brugge draw in November, Flick added: “The last 10 minutes, they were exhausted.“

Frankfurt Rematch at Camp Nou: A UCL Must-Win

Tuesday‘s Champions League league-phase clash vs Eintracht Frankfurt, Barcelona’s first at the revamped Spotify Camp Nou since October 2022, carries redemption weight. A 2022 Europa League humiliation (3-2 home loss, infamous fan invasion) prompted ticket restrictions for socios only, ensuring a fervent yet controlled atmosphere.

Barcelona, 18th in the standings with six points from five games (W1 D1 L3), need a victory to chase top-eight direct knockout entry, non-negotiable amid a must-win run-in. Flick: “It’s a really important match for us tomorrow. We have to win, we want to win three points. We want to show our best level.” The dream return to Camp Nou fuels ambitions after last season’s UCL semifinals.

Ter Stegen may return from back injury, but Joan Garcia remains “number one.” Predicted XI: García; Koundé, Cubarsí, Martín, Balde; Pedri, De Jong; Yamal, Fermín López, Torres; Lewandowski, with Lamine Yamal possibly as No. 10.

Frankfurt‘s Fragility: Gotze Eyes Fresh Start

Eintracht, 28th with four points (W1 D1 L3), arrive reeling from 6-0 Bundesliga thrashing by RB Leipzig (seventh domestically). Playmaker Mario Gotze, a Flick alum from Germany NT, admires the “very attacking brand” but insists: “Every match is new and starts from scratch… You can hardly draw conclusions from the past.” Predicted: Zetterer; Collins, Koch, Theate, Brown; Chaïbi, Skhiri; Dōan, Götze, Knauff; Batshuayi.

Barcelona’s home dominance vs Germans (16W-4L in 20) and Frankfurt’s woes tilt odds: Catalans favored for a “hard-fought win” to breathe life into their UCL bid. Kickoff: 8:00 p.m. CET at Spotify Camp Nou.