A key Olympiacos veteran has issued a daring warning to FC Barcelona, plotting a fierce upset in their Champions League clash.
With Hansi Flick sidelined by a red card and injuries plaguing Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Dani Olmo, the Blaugrana rely on Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí to maintain their edge.
As El Clasico looms, an Olympiacos veteran with extensive La Liga experience has issued a bold challenge, aiming to exploit Barcelona’s vulnerabilities in a crucial group-stage clash.
Olympiacos midfielder Dani Garcia, a 35-year-old former Eibar and Athletic Bilbao star, outlined his team’s strategy to unsettle Barcelona.
“We have to be serious and give our all,” Garcia told AS, drawing on their competitive 2-0 loss to Arsenal.
With only four wins in 23 matches against Barcelona, he emphasized replicating the “Mendilibar stamp” of tenacity, stating, “We showed we can compete against big teams.”
Garcia’s experience—facing Barcelona 23 times—fuels his belief in an upset, despite their historical edge.
Garcia praised Flick’s “powerful, attacking” style but highlighted differences from Arsenal, noting, “Each has a different style, but the level is high.”
His comments on Yamal were cautious, rejecting Messi comparisons: “He’s just starting; he needs protection.”
This underscores Olympiacos’s plan to test Barcelona’s right flank, where Yamal’s defensive lapses, as targeted by Xabi Alonso for Real Madrid, could be exploited.
Garcia’s call for seriousness signals a physical, disciplined approach to disrupt Barcelona’s rhythm.
Barcelona’s lineup, featuring Wojciech Szczesny, Ronald Araujo, and Fermin Lopez up top, must counter Olympiacos’s intensity.
With a €380m Spotify deal bolstering finances, Barcelona’s focus is on European progress, but Garcia’s words add pressure.
Garcia’s shot at Barcelona, backed by his veteran nous, sets the stage for a gritty battle, with Olympiacos aiming to spoil the Blaugrana’s momentum before the Bernabéu showdown.
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