Hansi Flick's no-nonsense approach hit Barcelona early, with Hector Fort arriving late for medicals post-Lamine Yamal's birthday. This could see the young defender benched, given Flick's history of punishing tardiness.
Inter Milan faces fresh turmoil. Defender Benjamin Pavard, out injured from the Club World Cup, controversially played paddleboard with AC Milan's Theo Hernandez. This, plus the Lautaro-Calhanoglu spat, points to growing internal strife for the Nerazzurri.
