Xavi will likely make one change to the Barcelona lineup against Sevilla by bringing in the experienced Jordi Alba to replace Alejandro Balde.
Xavi Hernandez will likely name a near-identical starting lineup that defeated Real Valladolid when Barcelona travel to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium to take on Sevilla, looking to continue their impressive start to the 2022/23 La Liga season. The Barcelona manager will be eager to focus on competitive action after the transfer window finally shut down.
His pre-match press conference focused on the transfer window and the players that left, particularly striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. He said, “I feel sorry for all those who have left, even some of them who have known since May that they would have to leave… But, especially Auba, I feel very sorry for him. Auba is a treasure as a person. A role model. I will miss him a lot.”
Sevilla vs Barcelona Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Tactics, Team News & Key Stats
With the Sevilla game in focus, Xavi will likely make only one change from the previous lineup. The experienced Jordi Alba should come back into the Barcelona starting eleven and replace the prodigious Alejandro Balde for a clash of great importance.
The Barcelona manager is likely to keep the defensive lineup intact otherwise. Jules Kounde excelled at right-back in the previous game and could keep his place there. Ronald Araujo and Eric Garcia are the favourites to pair up at the heart of the Barcelona defence, with Alba at left-back.
Sergio Busquets will play the holding midfield role, with prodigious talents Gavi and Pedri on either side of the Barcelona captain. Barcelona have quality options to call from the bench if needed, including Frenkie de Jong and Franck Kessie.
With Aubameyang no longer on the books, the sole focus will be on Robert Lewandowski, who will be expected to take most of the goalscoring burden while leading the line for Barcelona against Sevilla. For the Sevilla clash, Xavi will likely continue with Raphinha on the right and Ousmane Dembele from the left side of the Barcelona attack.
The Barcelona bench is also strong, with the likes of de Jong, Kessie, Ansu Fati, Memphis Depay, and Andreas Christensen among those likely to make the grade.
Predicted Barcelona XI: ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Garcia, Alba; Gavi, Busquets, Pedri; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Dembele
