Barcelona Travels to Elche for Season Opener

Reigning champions Barcelona are set to kick off their La Liga campaign against Elche at the Estadio Martínez Valero. The match is scheduled for 10:30 PM. While the hosts, Elche, have already started their season with a 1-1 draw against Deportivo La Coruña, this will be the first official fixture for the Catalan giants in the new campaign.

Barcelona enters the new season with the ambition of defending their Spanish title. The squad, led by Hansi Flick, has undergone significant changes in attack following the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, while defender Ronald Araújo has moved to Liverpool on loan. However, the club has brought in key new signings such as Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, and Ballon d'Or winner Rodri.

Elche, for their part, are making their 26th appearance in Spain's top flight. Led by head coach Martín Anselmi, the hosts are aiming for a stable performance and to retain their place in La Liga. Over the summer, Elche sold striker Álvaro Rodríguez to Bournemouth but brought in Argentine midfielder Facundo Buonanotte from Brighton on loan.

Elche's pre-season saw a mix of wins and draws, including a 2-1 victory over Kaizer Chiefs and draws against Johor DT (0-0), Al Ain (2-2), and Córdoba (2-2), before starting the league with a 1-1 away draw against Deportivo La Coruña.

Barcelona had an intensive pre-season with varied results: a 2-2 draw with Birmingham City, a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest, a 1-0 loss to Udinese, and a convincing 5-2 victory against Basel. In their final friendly, the Catalans won the Joan Gamper Trophy after a 2-1 triumph over Egyptian side Al Ahly.

The Catalans have been dominant in recent encounters between the two teams. Barcelona has won all five of their last La Liga matches against Elche. Their previous meeting on January 31, 2026, ended in a 3-1 away victory for Barça, and earlier that season, they also won 3-1 at home. Prior to that, the Catalans recorded wins of 4-0, 3-0, and 2-1.

For the hosts, injured players Iago Santiago and Adam Boyar will miss the match. In the Barcelona squad, Frenkie de Jong and Rooney Bardghji are sidelined due to injuries, and new signing Rodri is not yet ready for action.

Elche coach Martín Anselmi is expected to deploy a 3-5-2 formation. Matías Dituro will be in goal. The defensive line will feature Federico Redondo, David Affengruber, and Víctor Chust. The midfield will consist of Bouba Sangaré, Marc Aguado, Germán Valera, Gonzalo Villar, and Martim Neto, while Fernando Niño and Ali Houari will lead the attack.

Joan García will start between the posts for Barcelona. The defense will comprise Alejandro Balde, Gerard Martín, Jules Kounde, and Eric García. The midfield will see Marc Bernal, Gavi, and Fermín López, with Anthony Gordon, Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha attacking on the wings and upfront.