Defending La Liga champions FC Barcelona continue their 2025-26 campaign on the road this Saturday, August 23, as they travel to face newly-promoted Levante at the Estadi Ciutat de València. Despite a convincing 3-0 victory over Mallorca in their season opener, manager Hansi Flick is reportedly demanding a more complete and intense performance from his squad, setting the stage for a crucial early-season test.
The Catalan giants are coming off a successful but demanding preseason that saw them embark on a high-scoring tour of Asia. The tour, which included stops in Japan and South Korea, showcased the team’s formidable attacking prowess under Flick’s system. They secured a 3-1 victory over J1 League leaders Vissel Kobe on July 27, followed by a thrilling 7-3 win against FC Seoul on July 31, and concluded their tour against Daegu FC on August 4. According to Digital Trends Today, the team netted an impressive 10 goals in their first two matches alone, though conceding four highlighted potential defensive vulnerabilities that Flick will be keen to address.
The preseason was a vital period for integrating new talent, most notably English forward Marcus Rashford, who joined on loan from Manchester United. Rashford is expected to make a surprise start against Levante, featuring in an attacking line alongside Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. The added depth has been welcomed by the squad, with Raphinha telling Spanish outlet SPORT, “The more competition we have, the better. It means that one helps the other progress, and that is the most important thing if we want to win titles.”
However, Barcelona’s title defense begins amid significant challenges. The club continues to navigate financial constraints and player registration issues. More pressingly, they are contending with key injuries. First-choice goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen is sidelined for several months following back surgery, leaving Joan García to deputize. Star striker Robert Lewandowski is also recovering from a hamstring injury, though he is nearing a full return and may feature from the bench against Levante. In his absence, Ferran Torres, now recovered from appendix surgery, is expected to lead the attack.
Their opponents, Levante, are back in Spain’s top flight after winning the Segunda División last season. Managed by Julián Calero, their return began with a 2-1 defeat to Alavés, and they now face a monumental task against the reigning champions. Historically, Barcelona has dominated this fixture, but Levante has proven to be a difficult opponent at home. As noted by Sports Illustrated, Barcelona has won just two of their last six matches at the Ciutat de València across all competitions. Levante is expected to deploy a defensive 5-4-1 formation, aiming to frustrate the visitors and capitalize on counter-attacks.
Flick’s frustration with his team’s perceived complacency in the second half against Mallorca, even after their opponents were reduced to nine men, has set a clear tone. He is demanding relentless focus for the full 90 minutes, a standard he believes is non-negotiable for retaining the La Liga crown. The match against Levante, scheduled for a 9:30 p.m. local time (CET) kickoff, will be a key indicator of whether his squad has received the message as they look to build early momentum in a long and challenging season.
