Barcelona are again in motion after the primary worldwide break of the marketing campaign because the reigning champions play their opening residence recreation of the La Liga season towards conventional rivals Valencia on the Estadi Johan Cruyff.
The Blaugrana received their opening two matches of the season however dropped factors to Rayo Vallecano in an unpleasant recreation earlier than the break, and now they’ll look to rebound and play their greatest soccer towards a Valencia facet they completely dominated final season.
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Right here’s how we predict Hansi Flick will line up his troops for Sunday’s battle.
Protection
Barça’s protection conceded essentially the most huge probabilities amongst all 20 La Liga groups within the first month of the season, and Hansi Flick is but to seek out his favourite mixture on the again because the absence of Iñigo Martínez has been clearly felt thus far.
The Blaugrana journey to England for his or her Champions League opener towards Newcastle on Thursday, however that shouldn’t affect Flick’s choice an excessive amount of given we’re nonetheless early within the season and the way essential it’s to seek out defensive consistency.
Andreas Christensen made his first begin towards Rayo two weeks in the past and regarded wonderful, and adopted that up with two nice performances for Denmark within the worldwide window. Preserving the Dane within the lineup is a good suggestion to provide him extra rhythm, and pairing him with Pau Cubarsí may assist present the reply to the defensive woes.
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Jules Kounde is predicted to maintain his place at right-back, and with Alejandro Balde injured we should always see a begin from Gerard Martín on the left.
Midfield
Frenkie de Jong will doubtless miss Sunday’s match with a booty harm (technical time period), and with Gavi having some very regarding knee points there’s just one selection for Pedri’s associate within the double pivot: Marc Casadó.
The quantity 10 place has quietly been an issue as far as Flick has began all three of Dani Olmo, Raphinha and Fermín López in that spot with out nice outcomes, and the coach will proceed to provide them probabilities till one in all them wins the job. Olmo was very wasteful towards Rayo two weeks in the past, so we predict Fermín will get the nod this time to hopefully begin bringing some consistency within the place.
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Assault
Barça’s assault has been disjointed and egocentric to begin the season, they usually actually need to return to their greatest shortly as monster European video games would require the Blaugrana to begin scoring objectives once more. Lamine Yamal will retain his spot on the appropriate wing, however the different two locations within the entrance three will doubtless be up for grabs.
Raphinha would usually be the starter on the left, however the Brazilian needed to play a half-hour within the altitude towards Bolivia and returned late to coaching, and he may be saved for the sport towards Newcastle. That will open the door for Marcus Rashford, who wants an enormous efficiency to silence the early noise after a lower than stellar begin to his life at Barça.
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Ferran Torres had a powerful begin to the season because the striker, however Robert Lewandowski had two productive begins for Poland and may very nicely be bodily prepared for extra minutes after coping with an early-season harm. We predict the veteran makes his first begin right here, hoping to seek out the web to construct up his confidence past simply his health.
Attainable XI: Garcia; Kounde, Cubarsí, Christensen, Martín; Cubarsí, Pedri; Yamal, Fermín, Rashford; Lewandowski (4-2-3-1)
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