Defending champions Barcelona will look to continue their winning start to the 2025-26 LaLiga season as they travel to Valencia to take on Levante UD on Saturday.
Barça didn't have much of a test against Mallorca -- they were leading 2-0 and then saw two Mallorca players sent off inside the first half -- but that didn't appear to please coach Hansi Flick. He told reporters post-match: "After going 2-0 up and [Mallorca] getting two red cards, I think the team played at 50% and I didn't like it. We can do better. I will talk with them. I don't like them relaxing. We had to control the ball and the game. We have to score [more]. Playing at 50 or 60% against nine players is not possible. We have to play faster. We have to improve in certain areas."
Levante, therefore, can expect even more intensity than usual from Flick's men. The German coach will also most likely have Robert Lewandowski back on the bench after he picked up a knock in preseason, while it'll be a toss-up between Ferran Torres and Marcus Rashford to see who will start up top.
Levante, meanwhile, had a tough start as they returned to LaLiga after a spell in LaLiga 2 as they lost to an injury time goal at Alaves. It was a match Alaves had dominated (62% possession, 1.29 xG vs 0.87, 15 shots vs 7) and Levante will need to improve drastically if they are to get points off the attack-minded reigning champs.
Here's everything you need to about the game:
How to watch:
The match will be available on Disney+ in the UK and Ireland, ESPN+ in the United States, FanCode in India, and beIN Sports 1 in Australia. You can also follow ESPN's live updates.
Key Details:
Date: Saturday, Aug 23 at 8.30 p.m. BST (3.30 p.m. E.T.; 1:00 a.m. IST and 5.30 a.m. AEST, Sunday)
Venue: Estadio Ciudad de Valencia
Referee: TBA
VAR: TBA
Injury news:
Levante
Alfonso Pastor, G: broken finger, OUT, est. return late September
Alan Matturro, D: DOUBT
Goduine Koyalipou, F: DOUBT
Jon Olasagasti, M: DOUBT
Kervin Arriaga, D: DOUBT
Barcelona
Marc-André ter Stegen G: back, OUT, est. return late September
Expected Lineups:
Levante
GK: Pablo Cuñat
CB: Unai Elgezebal | CB: Adrián de la Fuente | CB: Jorge Cabello
RWB: Jeremy Toljan | CM: Sergio Lozano | CM: Orio Rey | LWB: Manu Sánchez
CAM: Pablo Martínez
ST: Roger Brugué | ST: Iván Romero
Barcelona
GK: Joan García
RB: Jules Koundé | CB: Ronald Araújo | CB: Pau Cubarsí | | LB: Alejandro Balde
CM: Frenkie de Jong | CM: Pedri
RW: Lamine Yamal | CAM: Dani Olmo | LW: Raphinha
CF: Marcus Rashford
Stats:
The last meeting between the two sides was in LaLiga in April 2022, when Barcelona won a tight match 3-2.
Barcelona have won 32 of the 45 times they've played Levante (D7, L6)
Levante's last win over Barcelona was a 3-1 victory in November 2019
The top scorer in the history of this fixture is a certain Lionel Messi, having scored 24 goals -- an incredible 18 more goals than any other player
Latest news and analysis:
- Barcelona's Rashford: Yamal best young player I've played with
Rashford made his LaLiga debut on Saturday in Barça's 3-0 win at Mallorca, being introduced as a 69th-minute substitute at Son Moix, before Yamal, 18, scored a trademark long-range strike in added time.
- Hansi Flick's criticism of his own players after 3-0 win feels over the top
'Now, I'm all for coaches demanding 110 percent and all that jazz, and I get that Flick knows his players and what motivates them best, but this felt weird', writes Gabe Marcotti.
- Barcelona ease to opening win but Flick 'didn't like it'
"I didn't like the match," Flick told reporters. "It's three important points, but I didn't like it.