Barcelona prepares for their opening match of the 2026/27 La Liga season against Elche on August 24, 2026, at 02:30. Hansi Flick's side enters the new campaign in strong form after winning four of their six pre-season friendlies, including a 2-1 victory over Al Ahly in the Joan Gamper Trophy.
Despite missing several key players during pre-season due to post-World Cup 2026 recovery, such as Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Gavi, and Dani Olmo, the Catalan giants remain heavily favored. Historically, Barca has dominated this fixture, winning the last six encounters at Elche with a dominant 21 goals scored.
Expected Lineups:
- Elche (3-5-2): Dituro; Fedondo, Affengruber, Chust; Valera, Neto, Aguado, Villar, Sangare; Nino, Houary
- Barca (4-2-3-1): J.Garcia; Kounde, E.Garcia, Martin, Balde; Bernal, Pedri; Yamal, Lopez, Gordon; Raphinha
Match Prediction: Elche 1-4 Barcelona.