Penalty on the horizon: Who from Barça might miss the return leg against Dortmund?

FC Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund will play the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals this Wednesday with several players on 'thin ice' thinking about the rematch next week at Signal Iduna Park. In the case of Barça, only one player is at risk of suspension for the match in Montjuïc: Iñigo Martínez. The Basque player has recovered from the muscle problem that prevented him from playing against Betis and is set to start against the Germans.

However, the '5' will have to play the match with 'kid gloves', as one more yellow card will prevent him from playing the return leg. Iñigo was booked in stoppage time during the match against Benfica in Lisbon (0-1) for demanding the expulsion of Leandro Barreiro, who had just seconds earlier made a very harsh tackle that was only punished with a yellow card. The Spanish center-back protested angrily, throwing his shin guard to the ground, for which the referee Félix Zwayer also booked him.

Iñigo Martínez, the most used center-back by Hansi Flick in the Champions

According to UEFA regulations, a player with three yellow cards must serve a suspension match. In the group stage, Martínez only received one card in the debut against Monaco (75'). In January, he missed the last two matches of the group stage due to injury, against Benfica (4-5) and Atalanta (2-2). So far, the Basque has scored a couple of goals and provided one assist in 8 matches (711 minutes) in the tournament, being crucial in Hansi Flick's scheme.

Of the 8 matches played, Iñigo was only substituted in the final minutes against Young Boys (5-0) and Benfica (3-1), being the Barça center-back with the most minutes in the tournament and the third defender overall, only surpassed by Alejandro Balde (714') and Jules Koundé (884'). The Frenchman has only received one yellow card, while Balde, Pau Cubarsí, and Ronald Araujo have yet to see their first. Pau missed the rematch in the round of 16 against Benfica due to expulsion (direct red).

⚽Iñigo Martínez's records in the Champions 2024-25:

• Matches played: 8 (all as a starter).
• Minutes played: 711.
• Goals: 2.
• Assists: 1.
• Yellow cards: 2.

Four Dortmund players are also at risk of suspension 

In the case of Borussia Dortmund, Niko Kovac has a much more complicated situation regarding the risk of suspension. The defenders Ramy Bensebaini, Yan Couto and Julian Ryerson, along with forward Maximilian Beier, are one yellow card away from missing the return leg. In fact, midfielder Pascal Groß will not be available in Montjuïc due to having reached three yellow cards, making him a significant absence along with the injured Marcel Sabitzer and Nico Schlotterbeck.