Barcelona will kick off the defence of their La Liga title away at Actual Mallorca on August sixteenth – however how will the Catalan giants line up for his or her first recreation?
Hansi Flick’s facet swept all earlier than them in Spain final season, successful each the league and Copa del Rey enjoying a model of good attacking soccer.
With the arrival of Marcus Rashford this summer season, right here’s how we reckon Barca will line up for the sport towards Mallorca in seven days’ time.
GK: Joan Garcia
With relations between Barcelona and Marc-Andre ter Stegen at an all-time low, new signing Garcia waltzes straight into the beginning XI.
Purchased from native rivals Espanyol, the 24-year-old seems a completely fashionable, comfortable-in-possession goalkeeper and was bought for a cut price €25million price.
RB: Jules Kounde
Kounde is among the few right-backs in world soccer who can critically quarrel with Achraf Hakimi’s declare as the perfect on the planet in that place.
He’ll be an important a part of Barcelona’s XI for the foreseeable future, beginning with the journey to Mallorca on Matchday One.
CB: Ronald Araujo
With veteran defender Inigo Martinez tearing up his contract and transferring to the Saudi Professional League, Barcelona are immediately brief at centre-back.
Whereas they’ll certainly enter the switch marketplace for a alternative, Flick can flip to the likes of Araujo, Eric Garcia and Andreas Christensen within the brief time period.
Araujo performed 25 instances in all competitions final 12 months, however at all times appears to have a mistake in him. Fingers and toes might be crossed.
CB: Pau Cubarsi
The child from La Masia solely turned 18 in January and but was trusted to play over 50 matches in all competitions in 2024-25.
There was, inevitably, the odd second of rawness. However we truthfully can’t keep in mind seeing a centre-back so composed and so full at such a younger age.
A bedrock of Barca’s future, rapid and long-term and a shoo-in on the coronary heart of Flick’s defence.
LB: Alejandro Balde
One other La Masia graduate with a complete profession forward of him, Balde has already flourished right into a dynamite younger left-back.
There are some questions over how sturdy the 21-year-old is and additional cowl could also be required within the switch market.
However you’ll be able to’t see Balde’s standing because the first-choice possibility coming underneath critical risk and he’ll certainly begin towards Mallorca.
CM: Frenkie De Jong
Six years after leaving Ajax, De Jong produced the perfect season of his profession to assist Barcelona to double glory in 2024-25.
The midfielder has had ups and downs through the years in Spain, however he lastly seems just like the tiki-taka pace-setter they thought they had been shopping for within the first place.
And there are sturdy rumours that De Jong might be given the Barcelona captaincy this 12 months, following the choice to strip Ter Stegen of the armband.
CM: Pedri
There aren’t sufficient superlatives for fairly how good Pedri was in 2024-25; the person from the Canary Islands is kind of probably the perfect midfielder on the planet proper now.
He’ll stay among the many very first names on the teamsheet underneath Flick this 12 months.
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RW: Lamine Yamal
Already the most effective gamers in world soccer, Yamal is the primary title on the Barcelona group sheet on the tender age of 18.
Not even Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo had been so prodigious earlier than maturity.
That doesn’t imply Yamal will higher their careers and even match them, but when he continues to develop and enhance on the present charge, it’s unattainable to foretell what his ceiling might be.
CAM: Dani Olmo
Olmo had his moments in his debut season, however Barcelona followers will wish to see extra consistency and availability in 2025-26.
La Masia graduate Fermin Lopez is snapping at Olmo’s heels if he doesn’t step up, however you’d think about that he retains Flick’s belief for now.
LW: Raphinha
Raphinha dedicated his future at Barcelona via to 2028 this summer season, following what was by the perfect season his profession up to now.
“I’m not untouchable, however whoever comes should work tougher than me,” he not too long ago instructed Mundo Deportivo.
It’s that perspective that explains why Flick loves him a lot and Marcus Rashford should make do with the bench for now.
ST: Robert Lewandowski
Lewandowski turned 37 this summer season, however he nonetheless notched a formidable tally of 42 objectives in all competitions final season.
The veteran Poland worldwide is within the last 12 months of his big-money contract in Catalonia. Barcelona want to start out planning for a future past him.
However that may anticipate now. Whereas there are indicators that the good striker could also be slowing down, there’s no method he gained’t begin the season opener towards Mallorca.
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