FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick will make big calls in his midfield and attack as the Catalans take on Real Sociedad away in La Liga on Sunday night.
After retaining the Spanish Super Cup against bitter rival Real Madrid and continuing the defense of the Copa del Rey with a last 16 win at Racing Santander, the reigning champions now turn back to La Liga.
Maintaining a club best record since 2015 of 11 victories on the trot is the primary task against La Real, but with that comes heading four points clear of a Madrid ouftit that beat Levante to boos in the Bernabeu on Saturday afternoon.
A similarly hostile environment should be expected by Barca in Anoeta, where La Real won’t make it easy for its visitors to go home with a result as Flick has to make changes due to unforeseen circumstances.
FC Barcelona coach Flick will make switches in midfield and attack
Flick has some good fortune in that he can go for the same defense fielded against Real Madrid, which means Joan Garcia’s goal is protected by a back line of Alejandro Balde, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia and Jules Kounde.
In midfield, though, it is a double pivot of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong coming in for the Marcs Bernal and Casado, while they’re behind Dani Olmo getting a second consecutive nod – this time as a CAM.
Olmo’s inclusion would usually mean that Fermin Lopez, who changed the game as a substitute last time out, would hit the bench again.
On the contrary, Raphinha missing training and not being fit enough to start means Fermin is on the left wing and not Marcus Rashford as we’d often see in this situation.
While Lamine Yamal is a mainstay on the right, Robert Lewandowski comes in for Ferran Torres up front as a central 9.
What FC Barcelona coach Flick said
“It will be a tough match because Real Sociedad has some fantastic players, and they’re in good form after their recent results. They’ve grown in confidence since [Pellegrino] Matarazzo arrived.”
“We don’t win matches because of names, but because of attitude and mentality. That’s what I want to see in every game.”
FC Barcelona Starting XI VS. Real Sociedad: Garcia; Balde, Eric, Cubarsi, Kounde; De Jong, Pedri, Olmo; Fermin, Lewandowski, Lamine.
