Barcelona Release Squad list for Espanyol Match

Head Coach Ernesto Valverde of FC Barcelona.

Barcelona will play their first game of 2020 away to Espanyol, and Ernesto Valverde has called up the following 18 players for the Catalan Derby:

Goalkeepers: 13. Neto, 26. Inaki Pena

Defenders: 2. Nelson Semedo, 3. Gerard Pique, 15. Clement Lenget, 18. Jordi Alba, 23. Samuel Umtiti, 24. Junior Firpo

Midfielders: 4. Ivan Rakitic, 5. Sergio Busquets, 20. Sergi Roberto, 21. Frenkie De Jong, 22. Arturo Vidal

Forwards: 9. Luis Suarez, 10. Lionel Messi, 17. Antoine Griezmann, 27. Carles Perez, 31. Ansu Fati

There’s some bad injury news ahead of a busy month for Barca, with goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen set to miss some time with a knee problem. He isn’t expected to be out for too long, but the German will probably miss next week’s Spanish Super Cup as well. Along with Arthur (groin) and Ousmane Dembele (hamstring) miss this one through injury, while Jean-Clair Todibo and Moussa Wague have not made the squad per the manager’s decision.

Predicted starting XI (4-3-3):

Neto; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, De Jong; Messi, Suarez, Griezmann.

The match kicks off at 9pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria).