RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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SportsMoney FC Barcelona Vs. Elche Line Up: Catalans Start La Liga Title Defense By Tom Sanderson ,
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Tom Sanderson has been primarily based in Barcelona since 2019. Follow Author Aug 23, 2026, 05:23am EDT Aug 23, 2026, 05:58am EDT --:-- / --:-- This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more . This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more . Summary FC Barcelona begins its La Liga title defense against Elche, targeting a third consecutive championship. Significant changes follow the exits of Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski, creating a striker void. Coach Flick is set to start new signing Anthony Gordon up front, flanked by Raphinha and Lamine Yamal. The midfield will feature Fermin Lopez alongside promising Class of 2007 graduates Xavi Espart and Marc Bernal, with Gavi and Dani Olmo benched. Defensively, Jordi Pesquer is expected to make his professional debut at left-back, stepping in for the absent Alejandro Balde and an unfit Joao Cancelo. This lineup underscores Barcelona's reliance on youth and tactical adaptations for the season opener.
FC Barcelona will travel to Elche on Sunday, to start the defense of back-to-back La Liga tiles while aiming for three in a row for the first time since the Pep Guardiola era.
There have been a lot of ins and outs in the transfer market, with the two biggest exits those of Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski up front.
While Ferran headed to Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, veteran Lewandowski is now plying his trade in the MLS with the Chicago Fire.
As of yet, Barca doesn’t have a natural striker save for youngster Hamza Abdelkarim. Flick therefore has to look in-house at widemen or midfielders, that can act as false nines.
On this occasion, the German is expected to go with summer signing Anthony Gordon up front, flanked by wingers Raphinha and Lamine Yamal .
The central attacking midfield berth is won by Fermin Lopez ahead of World Cup champions Gavi and Dani Olmo.
The rest of midfield is particularly intriguing, as we see two of Lamine’s fellow Class of 2007 graduates Xavi Espart and Marc Bernal line up with one another.
Unfortunately, Pau Cubarsi’s absence stops it from being a clean sweep of all four from that talented La Masia group in the first team together.
As centrebacks we have Gerard Martin and Andreas Christensen, and at right back Eric Garcia.
Left back is more disputed. With Joao Cancelo only signing his permanent contract a few days ago, he still needs some time to get fit and is doing so with another fresh acquisition in Rodri .
Reports had previously spread about Flick choosing another La Masia pearl in Jordi Pesquer. And on Saturday, after Flick appeared to question Alejandro Balde’s commitment and Jijantes claimed the player had decided to leave the club , Pesquer’s professional debut seemed a lock.
With Balde left off the squad list, it seems that Pesquer will indeed get the nod while Barca possibly heads to the market for a third option alongside the 18-year-old and Cancelo.
FC Barcelona Vs. Elche Starting XI: Garcia; Pesquer, Gerard, Christensen, Eric; Bernal, Espart; Raphinha, Fermin, Lamine; Gordon
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