Barcelona touched down in Italy on Thursday for a pre-season triangular tournament alongside Udinese and Nottingham Forest. Manager Hansi Flick has named his starting eleven for the opening fixture against the Premier League side, with summer recruit Karim Adeyemi continuing his run in the team.
Adeyemi leads Barcelona’s attacking thrust against Nottingham
The German international earns a second consecutive start in Flick’s attacking unit, partnered alongside teenage striker Hamza Abdelkarim, who netted twice during Barcelona’s previous friendly victory over Birmingham City. Adeyemi’s inclusion underscores the club’s confidence in the winger following his recent arrival.
Captain Raphinha features in the side after recovering fully from the injury sustained during Brazil’s World Cup campaign. Fellow attacker Fermin Lopez, cleared following a foot problem that kept him sidelined, returns to the lineup in the No. 10 role after training normally for the past week.
La Masia dominates Barcelona’s midfield and defence
Barcelona’s engine room reflects the club’s academy philosophy. Marc Bernal and Brian Farinas operate as the double pivot, creating an entirely homegrown midfield pairing. The back line follows the same blueprint: Xavi Espart and Jordi Pesquer occupy the full-back positions, while Gerard Martin and Andreas Christensen form the central defensive partnership. Wojciech Szczesny starts between the sticks.
What the lineup reveals about Flick’s pre-season priorities
The selection balances integration of fresh talent with continuity from established figures. Adeyemi’s second successive start indicates Flick intends to build attacking cohesion before the season commences, while the prominence afforded to academy players—six of whom feature—demonstrates the manager’s willingness to develop youth options within competitive fixtures. Raphinha’s availability removes a fitness question mark ahead of Barcelona’s league campaign, and Lopez’s return adds creative depth to midfield with both regular starters and academy prospects now fit and functioning.
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