Barça's starting eleven in Vallecas with surprises in defense and Fermín on the bench.

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Flick is also banking on Ferran starting, with Lewandowski on the bench for another game.

FC Barcelona is looking for a third win in three matches in the 2025-26 La Liga season this Sunday to head into the first FIFA international break of the season with a full set of points, allowing them to remain level on the table with Real Madrid, who have already achieved that goal. A visit to Vallecas is always complicated, but in the current situation Barça finds themselves in, it seems even more so for coach Hansi Flick, who has been preparing for the match during the week with many pending planning issues, such as registrations and, above all, the continuity of Fermín López in the squad. Flick is initially betting on a lineup with surprises, especially in the defensive line, and in which the emphasis is on Ferran Torres starting as a center forward, meaning last season's top scorer, Robert Leandowski, gets another day on the bench. The Barça eleven Flick presents against Rayo Vallecas includes Joan Garcia, Koundé, Eric Garcia, Christensen, Balde; Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphinha; Ferran Torres.

With just 24 hours to go until the transfer window closes, with Chelsea stalking, Fermín López will initially be seated alongside Flick, who reiterated his desire for the attacking midfielder to remain in his squad on Saturday. However, as happened against Levante, the Barça manager once again left him out of the starting lineup. Dani Olmo is currently playing just behind striker Ferran Torres in Vallecas.

The substitutes for Pau Cubarsí and Ronald Araujo, who have formed Barça's starting center-back pairing since Iñigo Martínez's departure to the Saudi Arabian League, join Jules Koundé's first start of the season, as well as Andreas Christensen. With Eric Garcia starting for the third consecutive match, the question is whether the Catalan will play, as he has until now, at right-back or at center-back, now that the French international defender's presence has been confirmed. With Gavi out due to injury, Gerard Martín and Wojciech Szczesny are making their debut this week, both on the bench.

The substitutes include goalkeepers Szczesny and Diego Kochen, defenders Pau Cubarsí, Ronald Araujo, Gerard Martín and Jofre Torrents, midfielders Marc Casadó and Dro, and forwards Robert Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford and Toni Fernández.

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