The suspended Xavi will be forced to watch on from the stands as Barcelona host Mallorca in La Liga on Friday night.
Xavi’s announcement regarding his future has seemingly liberated the Catalans, with Barca unbeaten in their previous seven outings. However, a tough road lies ahead for the La Liga holders after they were dealt two major injury blows in last weekend’s stalemate with Athletic Club.
Pedri and Frenkie de Jong will both be out of action for the foreseeable, although the pair will return before the season’s end.
Thus, Xavi will have to do some midfield rejigging for Friday’s game and here’s the starting lineup he could pick.
GK: Marc-Andre ter Stegen – Ter Stegen helped Barca to back-to-back clean sheets for the first time since October last weekend. His return has made a difference.
RB: Jules Kounde – The defender’s season has so far been disappointing, but a big few weeks lie ahead given his inclusion for France’s Euro 2024 squad is in doubt.
CB: Pau Cubarsi – The teenager has impressed at the start of his senior career and will continue in the team on Friday.
CB: Inigo Martinez – Martinez comes in for the suspended Ronald Araujo, who picked up his fifth yellow card of the La Liga season last weekend.
LB: Joao Cancelo – With Alejandro Balde and Marcos Alonso both still out injured, there’s little competition for Cancelo’s left-back spot.
CM: Andreas Christensen – The Dane certainly isn’t the long-term answer at the base of Barca’s midfield, but Xavi prefers him to Oriol Romeu.
CM: Ilkay Gundogan – Given Barca’s midfield injuries, Gundogan is set to play a more conservative role in possession and aid Christensen in the build-up.
CM: Fermin Lopez – Fermin is not your typical Barca midfielder, but he certainly has value. His ability to time runs and box-crashing nature means he has a knack for scoring goals – as he did in the reverse fixture.
RW: Raphinha – Xavi will continue to regulate Lamine Yamal’s minutes and we should see Raphinha keep his place on Friday with the youngster coming in next week against Napoli.
ST: Robert Lewandowski – Starts have come few and far between for January arrival Vitor Roque and Lewandowski is unlikely to drop to the bench for this one.
LW: Joao Felix – Xavi will hope that Ferran Torres is fit enough to play some part on Friday night, but a start is unlikely, Thus, Felix should remain in the XI.
