Barcelona 2025-26 season preview: Next-level Yamal, high-line worries and Rashford’s new role
The return of La Liga is imminent, and Barcelona will begin their title defense on the road against Mallorca on Saturday.
After winning the Supercopa de España and Copa del Rey, Hansi Flick’s team celebrated a domestic triple the previous season. With the addition of Joan Garcia and Marcus Rashford, in particular, it appears that they have bolstered their roster once more this summer.
What’s in store for the new term? Pol Ballus, a Barcelona correspondent, gives a sneak peek at the forthcoming season.
What are the club’s expectations for this season?
Without a doubt, Barcelona anticipates finishing the season with additional trophies.
The team is thought to have improved over the previous season. The entire club is now familiar with what it’s like to play under Flick, who was hired last summer, and key players are making a comeback from injuries, including midfielders Marc Bernal and Marc Casado. The system is flawless, and there is a strong sense of ambition in the locker room because Barca believes they have the capacity to do great things.
The tournament that will undoubtedly set the tone for them is La Liga, where they will mostly face a Real Madrid team that has been strengthened under new head coach Xabi Alonso. The Champions League, however, is the trophy that cheers Catalonia up more than any other. The players want to get better now because they missed the final last season by narrow margins.
Success at the European level is what makes a fantastic team in Barcelona one to remember.
Who have they signed?
England attacker Marcus Rashford has joined on a season-long loan from Manchester United, goalkeeper Joan Garcia arrived from city neighbors Espanyol for his €25 million (£21.6 million; $29.2 million) release clause, and 19-year-old winger Roony Bardghji was acquired from Danish team Copenhagen for €2 million. Following his unexpected arrival early in the previous season due to injuries, Wojciech Szczesny also re-signed to serve as the backup goalie.
Barcelona intended to improve in two areas, which is why those first two names were added. Garcia serves as a long-term replacement for Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who is viewed by the club as past his prime at the age of 33 after undergoing two surgeries in the last 11 months.
⚽️ 𝐅𝐔́𝐓𝐁𝐎𝐋 𝐓𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐋 ⚽️
👟 De Joan Garcia a Raphinha
⚡️ La verticalidad de Rashford y Fermín
👀 La visión de Eric pic.twitter.com/HV6cdtOYXc
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) August 11, 2025
Barca now has the attacking reinforcement on the left wing they needed in Rashford, along with a flexible player who can also play centrally. Rashford’s arrival provides players like Raphinha and a 36-year-old Robert Lewandowski more breathing room, since Flick felt he was lacking choices up front during crucial periods last season.
Deco, the sporting director, personally bet on Bardghji, a market opportunity signing who, at worst, should at least generate some revenue from his sale. The Sweden Under-21 international is anticipated to remain with the first team rather than Barcelona’s reserves for the time being after impressing Flick during preseason.
Who haven’t they signed?
Barcelona originally favored Luis Diaz and Nico Williams for the left-winger position, which Rashford has since taken.
In Williams’ case, negotiations were fairly far along, but at the last minute, the Athletic Club player’s worries over Barca’s ability to actually register him caused the talks to collapse. Barcelona was almost unable to meet Liverpool’s expectations with Diaz. Barca realized they lacked the financial resources to compete as soon as Bayern Munich expressed interest in them as well. The 28-year-old Colombian eventually signed a contract with Bayern that included an upfront payment of €70 million and possible add-ons of an additional €5 million.
What else is new?
The shirt number of Lamine Yamal. The new No. 10 for Barcelona appears prepared to assume the new duty. The 18-year-old, who is now sporting the famous jersey that once belonged to Lionel Messi, is ready to push up his game even more in this match after shining on the biggest stages last season.
It’s possible that Barcelona’s home stadium this season will also be brand-new. Next month, they anticipate returning to a renovated Camp Nou. Barca’s original intention was to return at a reduced capacity in November of last year,, but their famous venue has been undergoing significant repairs since June 2023.
The exact time they will return home is still uncertain, nine months after that missed target date. With a restricted capacity of only 27,000, the city council has authorized a proposal for Camp Nou to reopen as soon as certain construction is completed. This hasn’t occurred yet.
According to Barca sources, they still intend to return in time for their fourth La Liga match against Valencia on September 14. The club requested permission from the competition committee to travel for their first three league games.
Who’s been the best player in pre-season?
With three goals in the three games during the visit to South Korea and Japan, Gavi was the leading scorer. After a whole preseason under Flick, the 21-year-old appears to be closer to his former best than ever before, demonstrating that he has moved past his knee injury issues.
Finding room for him in a midfield where Frenkie de Jong and Pedri appear to have guaranteed berths will now be the manager’s good problem.
Yamal has also been excellent. Any full-back in world football should be concerned after four goals in four games and the perception that he is larger, stronger, and faster than he was a year ago.
What should fans be excited about?
Bernal’s return. Due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury sustained in just Barca’s third La Liga match of the season, the teenager’s breakthrough in the holding midfield position was cruelly cut short early.
Despite having finished a full preseason, the 18-year-old has not yet returned to the field because Barca does not want to take any chances by pushing him back too soon. However, it is anticipated that he will be considered for the start of the upcoming La Liga season.
What should fans be worried about?
if the team’s defensive performance can be improved. By the end of the previous season, Barcelona was giving up too many goals; the seven goals that Inter scored against them during the two legs of a Champions League semifinal still stands as the main reason they were unable to advance to play Paris Saint-Germain.
Over Flick’s first season, Barca’s unrelenting pressure up front and insanely high defensive line also yielded many benefits, but as opponents saw what they were doing, they were able to come up with additional methods to exploit it.
It’s also not good news to lose Inigo Martinez on a free transfer the week before the new season begins.
How’s the manager feeling?
Very pleased. The players that remained at the club are happy to continue working under Flick, who has fixed the deficiencies Barcelona noticed at the beginning of the summer.
The way the club has handled the Ter Stegen problem has been a bit of a headache for him to deal with. The German goalie’s removal as club captain last week marked a significant turning point in the relationship between the goalkeeper and Barca’s board. The main source of contention was Ter Stegen’s refusal to sign medical records that Barcelona intended to submit to La Liga in order to circumvent a regulation that would have aided their player registration efforts.
Ter Stegen was reinstated as captain after his comments on Friday, which appears to have settled the matter.
What’s the percentage chance of Flick seeing out the season?
After a fantastic first season in charge, during which the former Bayern and Germany manager completely transformed the team with little fuss, Flick’s reputation is extremely high. He signed a new contract in May, receiving a pay increase and committing to Barcelona until at least 2027, because he was so happy in every department there.
His removal from his position in the upcoming season would require a very significant shift in circumstances.
I wouldn’t be surprised if…
Lewandowski is not a surefire starter for the entire campaign.
The Polish striker, who is in the final year of his contract, will turn 37 next week.
Ferran Torres starting as the No. 9 more often than last season would not be shocking given the club’s future planning and the physical demands Flick has on his striker, particularly off the ball. Rashford is also capable of playing at that position. The 25-year-old Torres scored two goals in his two outings during the preseason.
The strongest XI is…
(Top photo: Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
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