PREVIEW: Valencia v FC Barcelona
The preseason is over. Now it gets serious. FC Barcelona head to Valencia for a Saturday 9.30pm CEST kick-off against Valencia in the first game of the 2024/25 Liga season.
After drawing 0-0 in both of their last opening day fixtures, Barça will be hoping to get off to a more positive start this time around in what will be the first ever competitive fixture under new coach Hansi Flick.
As usual, we have prepared a guide to help you find the right start time where you are in the world and if you are unable to watch or enjoy second screen viewing, then head this way for live coverage in our Match Center.
Team news
Frustratingly, although a new season usually means a fresh start, Barça have injury problems to worry about before a ball has even been kicked. Gavi missed much of last season with a torn cruciate ligament and still isn’t quite ready to go, and neither is Frenkie de Jong’s ankle quite healed. To confound matters, Ronald Araujo came back from the Copa America with a hamstring problem.
However, in his pre-game press conference, Flick hinted that Pedri, injured since Euro 24 “might be able to help us in the second half.”
New signing Dani Olmo didn’t get to play in the Gamper, and the German manager revealed that he won’t be playing in this game either, feeling that he still needs more time to adapt to his new team.
After Sergi Roberto announced his departure, Ter Stegen is the new first-choice team captain, and this will be his first official game since taking on the role.
Mixed preseason fortunes
Barça were on a high after an excellent US Tour, beating Real Madrid and drawing with Man City and AC Milan (those games were decided by shootouts, one in Barça’s favour and the other not). But the mood has dampened somewhat after they were stunned by a 3-0 defeat to Monaco in the Joan Gamper Trophy. Of course, preseason results generally reveal very little, and it is on Saturday that we get our first true glimpse of what Barça 24/25 is made of.
The opposition
Valencia away is a tough opening test, and that's even when the home side are perhaps not quite the force they have traditionally been. They have gone for five seasons without even coming close to European qualification, and quite remarkably, have only beaten Barça once in the last 17 meetings at Mestalla.
After failing to win any of their last seven games in La Liga 2023/24, Valencia were also winless in five preseason friendlies before finally beating Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend, the first time they had treated their home supporters to a win since March.
And like Barça, Valencia also have an injury pile-up before the season has started. Fran Perez, Moutcar Diakhaby, Jaume Domenech and Jose Gaya could all be missing, and thus far they have not been especially active on the transfer market, although the arrival of Rafa Mir on loan from Sevilla will certainly liven up their attacking options.
Did you know?
Both of Barça’s previous German coaches, Hennes Weisweiler and Udo Lattek got off to winning starts in the job. Hopefully Hansi Flick can keep that tradition alive.
Robert Lewandowski has scored more goals (4) than he has played games (3) against Valencia.