While renovation work continues at Camp Nou, Barcelona will not play a home game until after the first international break of the season. So, they are on the road again for the second matchday in LaLiga, this time to face newly-promoted Levante.
By Neel Shelat
Registration issues remain for Barcelona
Once again, it was not all smooth sailing for Barcelona in the summer transfer window. Despite parting ways with as many as 10 players and only making two permanent signings in addition to a loan deal, they are yet to register all of their squad members. Summer signings Joan García and Marcus Rashford were barely registered in the nick of time for the season opener, only after all the issues around Marc-André ter Stegen’s injury were resolved. A few players will still have to stay in the stands, including Gerard Martín and Marc Bernal.
Elsewhere, uncertainty continues to surround the Blaugrana’s ever-delayed plans of returning to Camp Nou. The club reportedly signed an agreement to keep the Olympic Stadium in Montjuïc available to them until February, though playing there would have some negative financial ramifications. Cost-cutting at the club has continued, with the women’s team facing significant departures through no fault of their own.
Levante adapting to survival bid
Like almost all newly-promoted teams in any league, Julián Calero’s Levante look prepared to change their approach as they transition from being one of the strongest teams in their division to now competing at the other end of the table. The Segunda División holders might not have to make a lot of stylistic changes as they finished the last season with a possession average of less than 50%, but their LaLiga opener (a 2-1 defeat at Alavés) indicated a shift from a four-player defence to a back five.
Barcelona hoping for another comfortable win
Keeping all the off-field issues aside, Barcelona could not have asked for a much more straightforward start to the season than their 3-0 win over Mallorca. The Spanish champions opened the scoring within seven minutes, going on to add a second around the midway point of the first half. They were also two players to the good before half time as their hosts received two red cards, making it extremely easy for them to see out the win.
Although they are not yet in the busiest part of the season, these less taxing days at the office will be very valuable for a squad that is already relatively thin in many places.
Levante’s impressive home record
Levante will back themselves to put up a better fight than Mallorca, and they can take some heart from their recent home record. The Granotes are unbeaten at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia since early February in a run that spans nine competitive fixtures. They have not done half badly when hosting Barcelona in recent times either, winning half of the last six games.
Prediction
Barcelona should have enough quality to overpower their newly-promoted opponents, so another three-goal win could well be in the offing.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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