The starting XI that FC Barcelona field against Juventus in Santa Clara, California on Saturday evening should be full of surprises.
The Blaugrana left Catalonia on Wednesday to embark on a preseason tour of the United States which will take in four friendlies.
The first of these comes against the Serie A giants from Turin. In a similar fixture on American soil 12 months ago, Barca drew 2-2 with the ‘Old Lady’ thanks to a brace from Ousmane Dembele as Moise Kean also scored two goals on the other side of the ball.
Ahead of Raphinha, Dembele is tipped to start on the right flank at the San Francisco 49ers’ stadium as Ferran Torres gets priority over Ansu Fati on the left wing with striker Robert Lewandowski wedged between.
This means that head coach Xavi Hernandez will not opt for the four-man midfield system that worked so well in 2022/2023, and which saw Gavi deployed as a false left winger that would move into the middle and provide cover when left back Alejandro Balde flew forward.
Barca have signed three new players this summer in Ilkay Gundogan, Inigo Martinez and Oriol Romeu.
however, none of them will start against Juve save for La Masia product Romeu, who acts as the sole pivot in place of the departed Sergio Busquets now plying his trade at Inter Miami with Lionel Messi.
