Barcelona kick off their La Liga title defense with a visit to Mallorca on Saturday, Aug. 16.
Hansi Flick’s side were dominant in their most recent visit to the Estadi Mallorca Son Moix, pummeling Mallorca 5–1 last December. Furthermore, this is a ground where Barcelona have enjoyed tremendous success in the past, entering the season opener without a loss away at Mallorca since 2008–09.
Both Marcus Rashford and Joan García have been formally registered with La Liga, but Roony Bardghji, Wojciech Szczęsny and Gerard Martín remain out of the picture due to the club’s financial problems.
Additionally, Barça’s 2024–25 leading goalscorer Robert Lewandowski is nursing a hamstring injury that will almost certainly sideline him for their season debut. Ferran Torres looks set to lead the line as he did during the run-in.
Dani Olmo returned to training late in the week, but Flick might opt to be cautious with him and instead deploy Fermín López in the No. 10 role on the back of impressive performances in preseason.
Here’s how Barcelona could lineup vs. Mallorca in their 2025–26 La Liga opener.
GK: Joan García—La Liga ruled that Marc-André ter Stegen’s injury meets the long-term criteria, meaning Barça were able to register new goalkeeper García. Hence, the former Espanyol man will make his official debut with the crosstown rivals.
RB: Jules Koundé—A day after signing a contract that will keep him in Barcelona until 2030, Koundé will patrol the right flank for the first time since the first leg of the Champions League semifinals a season ago.
CB: Ronald Araújo—Iñigo Martínez’s departure means Araújo will begin the season as Pau Cubarsí’s center back partner. The Uruguay international must take advantage of the opportunity after a subpar 2024–25.
CB: Pau Cubarsí—Only Pedri and Raphinha had more appearances last season than 18-year-old Cubarsí. Without Martínez, the teenager is obliged to take yet another step forward in his development as the leader of Flick’s high-defensive line.
LB: Alejandro Balde—The tireless Balde will have the freedom to constantly push forward to offer width on the left wing when Raphinha drifts centrally.
CM: Frenkie de Jong—It took a while for the Dutchman to get going under Flick, but once he did, he put in some of his best performances since joining the Catalans. He enters the season as an undisputed starter in midfield.
CM: Pedri—An argument could be made that Pedri was Barcelona’s best player a season ago. With a clean bill of health, the young midfield maestro is back to being the best central midfielder in the world.
RW: Lamine Yamal—Barcelona’s new No. 10 aims to reach another level this term, after convincingly entering the conversation as one of the best players in the world a season ago.
AM: Fermín López—Premier League sides tried to lure Fermín away from Barcelona this summer. The player resisted the temptation to stay at his boyhood club. Now, he’ll look to become untouchable in Flick’s lineup.
LW: Raphinha—Coming off a career year, Raphinha will be determined to ensure his 2024–25 form wasn’t a fluke but rather the norm moving forward.
ST: Ferran Torres—Although he’s not the prolific goalscoring machine Lewandowski is, Torres was excellent in a supportive role last term. He finished the season with 20 goals despite seeing most of his minutes coming off the bench.
