Barcelona Prepares for La Liga Opener and Joan Gamper Trophy
Barcelona crank up the volume. One more week of shadows and drills before the lights come on for real.
Fresh from a 5–2 win over FC Basel, Hansi Flick had his players back at the Ciutat Esportiva for a second demanding session of the week, the work already split in two clear directions: the Joan Gamper Trophy and, more importantly, Sunday’s La Liga opener against Elche.
Xavi Espart back in the thick of it
The notable change from Monday’s workout was the return of Xavi Espart.
The La Masia midfielder, who caught the eye against Basel, was back with the group after being granted a well-earned day off. His pre-season has been intense, coming straight off his involvement with Spain at the U19 Euros and then thrown into first-team preparations under Flick.
He rejoined the main group on Tuesday and completed the full session alongside the senior squad, another small but significant step in his integration at the top level.
Pedri and Gavi stay with the group
If Espart’s presence underlines the club’s faith in youth, the sight of Pedri and Gavi fully involved in collective work sends an even louder message.
Both midfielders continued to train with the group as they move through carefully managed adaptation plans. They took another step forward on Monday and stayed on that path on Tuesday, with the club still controlling their workload after the summer.
Pedri, back from holiday and building rhythm session by session, is progressing as planned. Gavi is following a similar route. Neither featured in the Basel friendly, but their continued presence in full training gives Flick more options as competitive football looms.
The German coach used the session to juggle two fronts at once: sharpening details for Wednesday’s Gamper clash while laying down the tactical and physical base for the trip to Elche.
Young blood stays in the frame
The summer has belonged partly to the academy, and that theme has not faded as the season approaches.
Alvaro Cortes, Brian Farinas, Ebrima Tunkara, Orian Goren, Jordi Pesquer, Hamza Abdelkarim and Eder Aller all remained embedded in first-team dynamics, training again with the senior squad. For them, every rondo, every tactical drill, every small-sided game is an audition.
Wednesday brings the first big stage of the week. Spotify Camp Nou will host the Joan Gamper Trophy at 8 p.m., with Barcelona facing Egyptian side Al Ahly. Before the stadium fills and the music hits, the work continues: one more training session at the Ciutat Esportiva at 9:30 a.m.
Pre-season is almost over. The margin for experiments is shrinking. From here on, every session has a simple question attached: who is ready to start the season running, and who gets left behind?
