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Fans have reacted to Gerard Martin\u2019s exclusion from the starting line-up for Barcelona\u2019s LaLiga clash against Sevilla.<\/p>\n
Hansi Flick made four changes to the team that started their last outing \u2013 a 7-2 win over Racing Santander. Dominik Livakovi\u0107 replaces Joan Garcia in goal while Pau Cubarsi comes in for Gerard Martin in defence.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n \nThanks for the submission!\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/template><\/p>\n Fermin Lopez returns to the midfield, with Dani Olmo making way for him. Anthony Gordon completes the changes with Karim Adeyemi joining the substitutes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/template><\/p>\n Martin has been a key player in Flick\u2019s squad this season, with the defender playing in five of Barcelona\u2019s six LaLiga matches so far.<\/p>\n He played the full 90 minutes against Racing Santander and has only been an unused substitute once.<\/p>\n After the line-up for their seventh LaLiga game of the season was released, a section of Barcelona expressed their delight on X (formerly Twitter) at seeing the Spaniard named among the substitutes.<\/p>\n A fan wrote:<\/p>\n \u201cGerard Martin benched. Things we love. Dude has too many mistakes in him.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Another tweeted:<\/p>\n \u201cGerard Martin benched yessssss.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Ahead of the match scheduled to take place at the Ram\u00f3n S\u00e1nchez-Pizju\u00e1n, Barcelona sit atop the LaLiga table with 18 points from six matches.<\/p>\n The Catalan club are the only team in the Spanish top flight with a 100 percent record. Sevilla, who have won four of six matches so far, are fifth in the standings.<\/p>\n Hansi Flick said he opted for Livakovic over Szczesny in goal against Sevilla because the team needed a change in goal after Garcia sustained a knee injury.<\/p>\n Flick has confirmed that Garcia \u201cwill be rested\u201d against Sevilla and appeared to back Szczesny ahead of tonight\u2019s game.<\/p>\n Speaking ahead of kick-off, Flick said:<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re very aggressive. With the atmosphere in this stadium. We remember last year. We have to be prepared,\u201d he said. \u201cWe analyzed everything and thought we needed to make a change in goal, and we did.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n On facing Sevilla, Flick said;<\/p>\n \u201cSevilla defend man-to-man, and they will try to press us in these situations,” he said. “Therefore, it will be important for us to play with confidence and to bring the ball out to the flanks. It will be important to control the match, and to know how to do that against a team that relies heavily on man-marking. We have to move the ball quickly, especially in our own half, and try to shift it from side to side.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cWe needed a change\u201d \u2013 Barcelona boss Flick explains decision to start Livakovic over Szczesny for Sevilla clash<\/strong><\/h2>\n