FC Barcelona announce squad for La Liga match against Valencia

Barcelona is set to play their first home game of the season against Valencia at the Estadi Johan Cruyff. Manager Hansi Flick has called up 21 players for the match, including goalkeepers Joan García, Wojciech Szczesny, and Diego Kochen; defenders such as Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsí, and Jules Kounde; midfielders like Pedri, Fermín López, and Marc Bernal; and forwards including Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski, and Marcus Rashford.

Key absences due to injuries include Lamine Yamal (groin), Frenkie de Jong (glute), Gavi (knee), Alejandro Balde (hamstring), and Marc-André ter Stegen (back). On a positive note, Marc Bernal returns to the squad for the first time in over a year after recovering from knee surgery, and Roony Bardghji is included for the first time since his summer transfer from Copenhagen.

The predicted starting lineup is a 4-2-3-1 formation: García; Kounde, Cubarsí, Christensen, Martín; Casadó, Pedri; Raphinha, Fermín, Rashford; Lewandowski. The match kicks off at various times worldwide, including 9pm CET in Barcelona, 8pm BST in the UK, 3pm ET in the USA, and 12:30am IST in India on Monday.