On July 31, 1:00 CEST, Barcelona play their last match of the pre-season tour to the US against New York Red Bulls.
With the league season approaching, Xavi might begin giving more prominence to those players that he sees as starters. However, it’s not excluded that the coach continues his experiments. Here are his main options.
Option 1
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen – Dest, Araujo, Christensen, Alba – Busquets, De Jong, Pedri – Dembele, Lewandowski, Ansu Fati.
This lineup looks like the best possible one, at least on paper. Unlike in the previous matches, we might see Frenkie de Jong play in midfield again.
As for the attack, it’s difficult to choose between Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele, but considering the Frenchman’s performance the other day, he might have the edge.
Option 2
Barcelona XI: Inaki Pena – Sergi Roberto, Pique, Eric Garcia, Balde – Nico, Kessie, Gavi – Raphinha, Aubameyang, Dembele.
Xavi could also decide to give a chance to the backups while the competition is still not that serious. Players like Pique and Inaki Pena might get their first start of the pre-season.
Unfortunately, Ferran Torres is still not ready to play, so Dembele could take the spot on the left to see if they are truly compatible with Raphinha.
What option do you like best and why? Tell us in the comments below!