Barcelona kick off the new La Liga campaign against Elche on Sunday as they seek to make a winning start to the defense of their crown.

The 2026–27 campaign commenced last weekend, but La Blaugrana were given extra preparation time due to the late returns of their players from the World Cup. They were able to squeeze in two more preseason friendlies as a result, beating Basel 5–2 before their 2–1 win over Al Ahly in the annual Joan Gamper Trophy match.

Hansi Flick will demand a swift start from his players, but he will be without some key personnel for the journey to the Estadio Martínez Valero. Elche will be desperate to take advantage and build on last Monday’s 1–1 draw with Deportivo de A Coruña.

Los Franjiverdes have a dismal record in this fixture, though, failing to beat Barça in any competition since 1974. The Catalan giants won both fixtures last term by an aggregate score of 6–2.

Elche vs. Barcelona Score Prediction

Barça Kick Off With Victory

Barça might not be at the peak of their powers this weekend, especially as key performers return to full fitness, but they remain overwhelming favorites to bypass an Elche team that only finished a point above the relegation zone last season.

While the club still lacks a star center forward, the quality of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha in the wide areas should overwhelm Elche, with new recruits Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi offering an impact from the bench. That’s before even considering the lively Fermín López in the No. 10 role.

An inexperienced midfield double pivot and unspectacular defensive line will offer Elche hope of getting on the scoresheet, but Barça should still prove too powerful for their hosts.

• Head-to-head record: Barça have utterly dominated their recent meetings with Elche. In fact, they have won the last 13 clashes across all competitions, scoring 41 times during those matches and conceding just five.
• Barça’s attacking dynamos: Few defenses could thwart the champions last season, with Flick’s men netting 95 times in La Liga alone. Elche, meanwhile, conceded 57 goals—only five teams allowed more.

Prediction: Elche 1–3 Barcelona

Elche Predicted Lineup vs. Barcelona

Elche boss Martín Anselmi will be without the services of Yago Santiago and Adam Boayar for their second outing of the season, with the 41-year-old likely to field a very similar XI to that used in the opening round.

Marc Aguado was last Monday’s goalscorer and will feature alongside Martim Neto in the engine room, with the duo protecting a deep-lying back five.

Veteran goalkeeper Matías Dituro will have to be at his best to rebuff a myriad of Barça attacking threats, while a clinical showing is required from summer recruit Fer Niño at the other end of the field.

Elche predicted lineup vs. Barcelona (5-4-1): Dituro; Sangaré, Affengruber, Redondo, Chust, Valera; Villar, Neto, Aguado, Houary; Niño.

Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Elche

Flick finds himself without Frenkie de Jong and Roony Bardghji due to injury, while new signing Rodri was missing from training on Saturday and will sit out the trip to Elche as a result.

Teenagers Marc Bernal and Xavi Espart could feature in center midfield in the absence of De Jong and Rodri, with Pedri and Gavi only likely to make the bench as they work their way back to full fitness.

Cubarsí could be absent from the XI for the same reason, with a center-back partnership of Andreas Christensen and Gerard Martín starting again having featured readily throughout preseason.

Without many options up top, young striker Hamza Abdelkarim could get the nod after four goals during an impressive preseason campaign.

Barcelona predicted lineup vs. Elche (4-2-3-1): J. García; E. García, Christensen, Martín, Balde; Bernal, Espart; Yamal, López, Raphinha; Abdelkarim.

What Time Does Elche vs. Barcelona Kick Off?

• Location: Elche, Spain
• Stadium: Estadio Martínez Valero
• Date: Sunday, Aug. 23
• Kickoff Time: 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT / 8:30 p.m. BST
• Referee: Alejandro Quintero González

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