Three changes Xavi could make to the starting lineup for Barcelona vs Real Valladolid

Barcelona return to La Liga action on Sunday, August 28, when they host Valladolid on matchday 3. 

The Blaugrana, who started their 2022-23 league action with a 0-0 draw against Rayo Vallecano, currently sit fifth in the standing and will be hoping to walk out with all three points against a rather defensive Valladolid unit.

It goes without saying that the opening few fixtures are always vital as they more or less set the momentum for the long season that awaits. 

But with the games coming thick and fast, it’s important for the managers to assess the workload, and with a plethora of options at hand, for Xavi, one can suspect a few changes in the starting lineup against Valladolid.

Here were look at a few

1. Franck Kessie for Gavi

Franck Kessie is yet to start a La Liga game for Barcelona. The former Milan midfielder did get into the action against Manchester City alongside Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong, but he has clocked a mere 23 minutes for his new team in the league so far.

Valladolid are rightly expected to just sit back and let Barcelona do all the talking. But for the home team to come out on top, they need to work on finding the pockets of spaces and given his experience, Kessie could be used to get the job done.

2. Sergio Busquets for Frenkie de Jong

Club captain Sergio Busquets was sent off in the opening La Liga game, forcing him to miss the Real Sociedad clash.

The team missed his services on the night as they won the game 4-1, especially because they were unable to gain any control of the game, but against Valladolid, especially, they would need someone who can just sit back to stop any possible counters.

For that, there is absolutely no one better than Busquets himself. For the veteran to get into the team, one can expect Frenkie de Jong to be sacrificed. The Dutchman made an error in the Sociedad clash leading to goal, and was far from even good.

3. Ansu Fati for Ferran Torres

Ansu Fati’s rise has been nothing short of any revelation. The 19-year-old was plagued by injuries last season, but he has made a remarkable comeback. The youngster, who clocked 30 minutes against Vallecano, scored one and assisted two goals against Real Sociedad in a mere 27 minutes.

Now, it’s interesting to see how Xavi lines his men against Valladolid, especially because he went for a rather unusual 3-2-4-1 approach last time out. 

In any way, given Ansu Fati’s recent run of form, there are high chances that Ferran Torres might be sacrificed as the former’s speed and technique will be key for the team to work on tight spaces.

For now, it’s all about Xavi’s perception really, as Sunday’s game is expected to be a Barcelona-dominated encounter. At the same time, however, they need to be wary of every possible Valladolid counter, which makes the team selection even trickier than it already is.