FC Barcelona are set to kick off their game against Athletic Club soon, and this is a big fixture for them. The Catalan giants are not just returning to the Spotify Camp Nou, but they are also looking to put pressure on league leaders Real Madrid.
For many reasons, this is a crucial La Liga fixture and one that Barça simply have to do well in. Due to this, despite some key absentees, Hansi Flick has decided to field a strong starting eleven for this clash.
Here is the official Barça starting eleven for this game.
In goal, Joan Garcia returns after having been sidelined due to a previous injury. While Wojciech Szczesny has done well to hold his spot for him while he recovered, the Spaniard is now finally back and ready to go.
Joan Garcia is presented to the fans prior to the Joan Gamper Trophy match between FC Barcelona and Como1907 at Estadi Johan Cruyff.
Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images
Ahead of him, Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin are the two starting centre-backs for the Catalan giants. Both players will be looking to defend the Barça goal while also playing out from the back.
On the flanks, Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde will be starting for La Blaugrana. Both players will be expected to cover a lot of ground, and keeping up with Athletic Club in terms of intensity is never an easy task.
In the midfield, Dani Olmo is accompanied by Eric Garcia they look to replace the suspended Frenkie de Jong and injured Pedri. Both players will need to be at their very best, however, as mistakes in the midfield can be fatal for Barça.
Ahead of them, Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres occupy the wings for Barça. In between them, Fermin Lopez starts as the attacking midfielder right behind the centre-forward and he will look to make things difficult for Athletic Club.
Finally, up top, Robert Lewandowski starts after scoring a hattrick in his last appearance against Celta Vigo. The Barcelona ace will need to be just as sharp yet again, but he has the quality and experience to manage that.