Barcelona conclude their US tour on Tuesday night as they face up against Milan in Las Vegas.
La Blaugrana aren’t quite seeking to avenge their defeat to the Rossoneri in the 1994 Champions League final, but they’ll want to end their tour on a high after they thumped Real Madrid 3-0 in their previous encounter.
The departures of veterans from Catalonia this summer should usher Barca into a new dawn, with the current lack of a midfield controller perhaps altering Xavi’s stylistic ideal.
Nevertheless, here’s how the Barcelona boss could set his side up for the upcoming clash with Milan.
GK: Marc-Andre ter Stegen – The German shot-stopper kept his first clean sheet of the summer at the weekend as he played the entirety of the Clasico. There’s little scope for rotation here.
RB: Sergi Roberto – Andreas Christensen’s likely absence will force a reshuffle in defence and Xavi could favour the dependable Roberto over Sergino Dest at right-back.
CB: Jules Kounde – The Frenchman wasn’t best pleased with being deployed at right-back last season, and he could get another chance to impress at the heart of Barcelona’s defence in Vegas.
CB: Ronald Araujo – Talk about formidable partnerships. Araujo rarely played alongside Kounde at centre-back last season, but the two could unite against Milan.
LB: Alejandro Balde – Balde has quickly blossomed into one of Europe’s most exciting and dynamic full-backs. Barca aren’t going to have a problem replacing the great Jordi Alba.
CM: Oriol Romeu – The club’s new midfield anchor impressed against Real and looks to have established a harmonious dynamic with Frenkie de Jong. The pair complement each other well, and we could see them work in tandem plenty in 2023/24.
CM: Frenkie de Jong – With the more cautious Romeu providing stability, De Jong takes on the more enterprising midfield role. The Dutchman plays a key role in Barça’s build-up and ball progression.
CM: Pedri – The Spaniard should earn plenty of freedom to advance and combine with the front three in this set-up. Pedri excels across the board, but he’s particularly devastating when allowed to access and create from the left half-space.
RW: Raphinha – Ousmane Dembele’s uncertain future means it’s unlikely he’ll start – or perhaps play any part – on Tuesday night, rendering a Raphinha return to the starting XI almost certain.
ST: Robert Lewandowski – It’s been a fairly subdued pre-season for Lewandowski so far, but there’s no doubt he’ll continue to lead Xavi’s line.
LW: Abde Ezzalzouli – Xavi’s wildcard? Ansu Fati is fighting for minutes down Barcelona’s left, but the boss could hand them instead to Moroccan winger Abde, who was bright in the 5-3 defeat to Arsenal.
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