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Barcelona prepares for La Liga opener against Elche on Sunday

3 sources • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 23, 2026, 11:01 AM

Last updated Aug 23, 2026

Barcelona prepares for La Liga opener against Elche on Sunday

Summary

Barcelona faces Elche in its opening La Liga fixture on Sunday, August 23, at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valerio. Hansi Flick’s side starts the season under significant squad rotation due to injuries, while Elche seeks to build on a recent draw. The match follows Elche's 1-1 draw against Deportivo La Coruña, whereas Barcelona looks to continue its momentum after a title-winning season.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

Status Watch

•Match kicks off at 8:30 PM BST.
•Elche missing players due to injury including Yago Santiago and Adam Boayar.
•Barcelona without Frenkie de Jong and Rodri, with Hamza Abdelkarim likely to start.
•Elche has an unbeaten home league streak of seven games.
•Barcelona enters fresh off a 31-win season and strong pre-season performances.

Latest Updates

11:01 AMYahoo Sports — Barcelona projected lineup vs Elche: Will Rodri start La Liga champs' opener?
6:20 AMYahoo Sports — Elche vs Barcelona – Match preview and team news
6:20 AMYahoo Sports — Barcelona XI vs Elche – Predicted lineup and team news

What they're saying

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Hansi Flick’s Barcelona will face Elche in their opening La Liga fixture of the season on Sunday.Barcelona will aim to start the season on a strong note while Elche, who have already started their L...
— Yahoo Sports

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Hansi Flick’s Barcelona travels as they face Elche in their opening La Liga fixture of the season on Sunday.The reigning champions, FC Barcelona, finally begin their long-awaited campaign tonight af...
— Yahoo Sports