As FC Barcelona gear up for their return to the Spotify Camp Nou in an hour, manager Hansi Flick has announced the starting lineup that will take the field against Athletic Club.
The major news is that star goalkeeper Joan Garcia is back in the team after having been out of action for nearly two months due to a meniscus issue in his knee that needed arthroscopic surgery.
Meanwhile, the Barcelona head coach has opted to go with the defensive line of Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde, and Gerard Martin, who seemingly starts as the left-sided centre-back in a big call from the manager.
Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen have been overlooked.
As for the midfield unit, where the Catalans are without key players Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, respectively, Flick has opted to go with Eric Garcia at the base, while Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez take up advanced positions.
Marc Casado and Marc Bernal have been left on the bench.
Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Ferran Torres form the attacking unit, with the returning Raphinha among the substitutes, while Marcus Rashford is out due to flu.
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β FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 22, 2025