FC Barcelona host Racing Santander on Wednesday, 16 September, with kick-off at 21:30 CEST at Spotify Camp Nou, in a fixture corresponding to matchday 6 of LaLiga. According to MARCA, Hansi Flick has the same group of players available that featured in the previous league outing against Levante, with the reported absences of Roony and De Jong, both still sidelined by long-term injuries, unchanged. It should be stressed that the line-ups discussed below remain probable rather than confirmed selections.
Per MARCA’s reporting, Flick is expected to continue with the rotation policy that has characterised his squad management so far this season, with Jules Koundé, João Cancelo, Dani Olmo and Karim Adeyemi all tipped to feature from the opening whistle. That pattern of selection echoes the approach outlined in the squad news ahead of the Levante trip, where similar rotational choices were already in evidence, and it also builds on the availability picture set out in the matchday squad update from the Valencia fixture.
On the visitors’ side, José Alberto López arrives in Barcelona without Andrés Martín, who is dealing with a knee sprain that MARCA reports will keep him out for several more weeks, while Eriksoon is a doubt because of a shoulder tendinopathy. Racing’s cantabrian side will otherwise field close to their strongest available options as they look to cause an upset at Camp Nou.
MARCA’s projected starting XIs for both sides are set out below, position by position, as reported ahead of kick-off.
| Position | Barcelona (probable) | Racing Santander (probable) |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Joan García | Agirrezabala |
| Defence | Koundé, Cubarsí, Christensen, Cancelo | Mantilla, Pablo Ramón, Belocian, Salinas |
| Midfield | Rodri, Pedri | Prati, Iván Martín, Pablo García |
| Attack | Lamine Yamal, Olmo, Adeyemi, Raphinha | Sergio Canales, Íñigo Vicente, Zabiri |
As MARCA frames it, this Barcelona projection represents a continuation of Flick’s rotation approach rather than a settled or announced XI, and the final team sheet may yet differ once submitted ahead of kick-off. For Racing, the reported line-up reflects José Alberto López working with essentially his first-choice squad, bar the confirmed absence of Martín and the lingering doubt over Eriksoon.
