FC Barcelona Versus Osasuna Preview and Lineup: Xavi Drops Untouchable
FC Barcelona will drop an ‘untouchable’ from his lineup to begin the Catalans’ defense of their Spanish Super Cup crown on Wednesday.
Bitter rivals Real Madrid guaranteed its berth in the final at the weekend by beating crosstown foes Atletico Madrid 5-3 in a 120-minute last four thriller last night.
At the same stage of the competition, Barca must see off Osasuna to set up a repeat of the 2023 decider that brought Xavi the first piece of silverware in his reign this time last year.
He will try and do this without Joao Felix, who has been dropped as a punishment for poor form.
The Portuguese was once a shoe-in on the left wing, but Ferran Torres is now preferred instead of him with the prospect of making Felix’s loan move from Atletico Madrid permanent hanging in the balance.
Starting from Barca’s goal with the rest of the lineup, Inaki Pena continues to stand in for Marc-Andre ter Stegen and is protected by a backline of Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen and Alejandro Balde.
Though Joao Cancelo has unexpectedly made the squad list after suffering an MCL knock, he isn’t fit enough to start meaning that Kounde covers for him in a right back position played throughout Barca’s title-winning charge in 2022/2023.
In midfield, the same logic applies to Pedri who has traveled to Saudi Arabia but might only pick up minutes towards the end of this one.
Xavi opts for an experienced trio of pivot Frenkie de Jong, captain Sergi Roberto and Ilkay Gundogan, a serial winner who is gunning for his maiden trophy in Blaugrana since completing a free transfer from Manchester City earlier this summer.
Up top, it is Raphinha to the right of striker Robert Lewandowski and, as said, Ferran to the right.
At some point, we might get a glimpse of young guns Vitor Roque and Lamine Yamal to inject some power and pace into the attack.
FC Barcelona’s line-up: Pena; Jules Koundé, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Alejandro Balde; Sergi Roberto, Frenkie de Jong, Ilkay Gündogan; Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.
