Barcelona will officially begin their 2026-27 La Liga title defence on Sunday evening when they travel to face Elche.
The Catalan giants are once again expected to battle Real Madrid for domestic supremacy, while their ambitions extend to the Champions League following an ambitious summer transfer window.
Barcelona enjoyed a positive pre-season, winning four of their six friendlies, including a 2-1 victory over Al Ahly in their final outing. The arrival of Rodri from Manchester City has further strengthened a squad that also welcomed Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Jesse Bisiwu and Joao Cancelo.
Elche, meanwhile, began their league campaign with a 1-1 draw against Deportivo La Coruna. Martin Anselmi’s side finished 15th last season and will be targeting another campaign clear of relegation trouble.
The hosts have endured a miserable record against Barcelona, losing their last 12 meetings in all competitions.
Team News
Elche will be without Yago Santiago and Adam Boayar due to injury. Lucas Cepeda could enter the starting XI, while new signing Fer Nino is expected to lead the attack.
Barcelona remain without Frenkie de Jong and Roony Bardghji. Rodri is unlikely to make his debut, although he could potentially start on the bench. Hamza Abdelkarim could be rewarded with a starting role after scoring four goals during pre-season.
Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez and Raphinha are expected to feature in attack, while Eric Garcia and Jules Kounde could form part of the defensive unit.
Possible Lineups
Elche possible starting lineup:
Dituro; Chust, Redondo, Affengruber; Sangare, Villar, Aguado, Valera; Houary, Nino, Cepeda
Barcelona possible starting lineup:
J Garcia; E Garcia, Kounde, Martin, Balde; Pedri, Bernal; Yamal, Fermin, Raphinha; Abdelkarim
How to Watch
| Platform | Details |
|---|---|
| TV Broadcast | SuperSport La Liga |
| Live Stream | dstv stream |
| Kick-off Time | 20:30pm (WAT) |
Match Prediction
Softfootball preditcs Elche 0-3 Barcelona.
