Barcelona start their La Liga title defence and quest for 3 in a row with a visit to face Elche on Sunday night.
After beating Al Ahly for the Gamper Trophy of their final pre-season match, it’s again to enterprise for Barca. Their predominant title rivals, Actual Madrid, marked their return to motion with a 2-1 win over Espanyol on Saturday and now it’s over to Hansi Flick’s aspect to reply.
New signings Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi might be eyeing a spot within the beginning lineup in assault, however hold an eye fixed out for the 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim as effectively after he made a reputation for himself in pre-season.
One among Barca’s more moderen signings, Rodri, will not be in competition to play. The Spanish midfielder has missed coaching within the build-up to the match, so isn’t within the matchday squad.
Fellow newcomer Joao Cancelo remains to be working his method again as much as match health as effectively, however Alejandro Balde has been dominated out of the squad, so he might have to leap straight in at left-back.
If Cancelo can’t begin, a possible younger debutant (together with Abdelkarim) is Jordi Pesquer, a 17-year-old left-back who might be an emergency choice.
Nevertheless, Flick might simply as simply flip to Gerard Martin, who’s an choice to play at centre-back or on the left of defence. Some anticipate him to play at centre-back on this sport, however he might need to play wider given Barca’s availability points.
Frenkie de Jong might be one other absentee for the foreseeable as a result of a knee harm.
There are additionally doubts over the health ranges of Pau Cubarsi, Pedri, Gavi and Dani Olmo. They’re all within the squad, however may not begin, so Barca might look fairly completely different from their typical strongest lineup.
They are going to be hoping to nonetheless have sufficient to see off Elche, although. Their opponents have already performed as soon as this season, and that was a draw with newly promoted Deportivo. Final season, they completed fifteenth.
The match kicks off at 9:30pm native time (8:30pm within the UK). Right here’s how we expect Barca might line up.
Barcelona predicted XI v Elche
GK: Joan Garcia
RB: Eric Garcia
CB: Jules Kounde
CB: Andreas Christensen
LB: Gerard Martin
CM: Marc Bernal
CM: Xavi Espart
RW: Lamine Yamal
AM: Fermin Lopez
LW: Raphinha
CF: Hamza Abdelkarim
READ MORE: 8 Julian Alvarez options Barcelona MUST contemplate after deal ‘99% off’
TRY A QUIZ: Are you able to title all 29 gamers Barcelona have signed from the Premier League?
