Barcelona Kick Off Hansi Flick Era Against Elche
Barcelona begin the Hansi Flick era on Sunday night with a trip to Elche, a new season and a very new-look squad taking its first steps in La Liga.
The German coach has named a 23-man group for the opener, a list that blends heavyweight talent with fresh faces and one headline inclusion.
Rodri set for first taste of action
The big story is the first call-up for new signing Rodri. The midfielder is in line to make his debut off the bench, with plans for him to feature in the second half as Flick eases him into competitive action.
Alejandro Balde also returns. The left-back, absent at the weekend amid uncertainty over his future, is back in the fold and available, a significant boost on the flank.
On the other side of the equation, Marc Casadó, Álvaro Cortés and Héctor Fort are left out of the squad as they move closer to exits from the club.
Injuries continue to bite in midfield. Gavi, Frenkie de Jong and Roony Bardghji all miss the trip with knee problems, leaving Flick to lean on youth and versatility in the center of the pitch.
Full 23-man squad
- Goalkeepers: Joan Garcia, Wojciech Szczesny, Eder Aller
- Defenders: João Cancelo, Alejandro Balde, Pau Cubarsí, Xavi Espart, Andreas Christensen, Gerard Martín, Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia
- Midfielders: Fermín López, Pedri, Rodri, Dani Olmo, Marc Bernal, Brian Fariñas
- Forwards: Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Karim Adeyemi, Anthony Gordon, Hamza Abdelkarim
It is a group that underlines the shift under Flick: technical midfielders, aggressive full-backs, and wide forwards built to run at defenders all night.
How Barcelona are expected to line up
Flick is tipped to start in a 4-3-3, with a back line that leans heavily on youth:
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Joan; Eric, Cubarsí, Martín, Espart; Fermín, Bernal, Pedri; Yamal, Raphinha, Adeyemi
Pedri is set to anchor the creative burden in midfield, flanked by Fermín López and Marc Bernal, while Lamine Yamal and Raphinha provide width either side of new signing Karim Adeyemi in attack. It is a bold, energetic front three, built for pace and directness.
Kick-off at Elche is at 9pm CET (Barcelona), 8pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 3pm ET and 12pm PT in the USA, with a 12.30am start on Friday in India (IST).
A new coach, a reshaped squad, and a demanding away day to open the campaign: Barcelona are about to show what this new version looks like when the points are real.
