Reports in Spain say Barcelona are worried about their line-up before facing Valencia in the fourth round of the 2025-26 La Liga season.
Barcelona play Valencia next Sunday at the Johan Cruyff Stadium and want to bounce back after the 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano in the third round.
Defensive Concerns Grow
In the opening two league games against Mallorca and Levante, coach Hansi Flick chose Cubarsi and Araujo as his central defenders. For the third round, he switched to Garcia and Christensen.
But both pairs showed problems, as Barcelona’s defence looked weak and unsettled. The situation worsened after veteran defender Iñigo Martínez left for Al-Nassr in the summer.
Martínez’s move created a big gap at the back, especially in the offside trap. The team struggled to organise it as tightly as before. Because of this weakness, opponents have taken 24 shots at Barça’s goal in three games, scoring three times. Goalkeeper García made several key saves to stop even more goals from going in.
A Possible New Pairing
For the match against Valencia, Flick may turn to a new combination of Garcia and Cubarsi. Neither of them used much energy during the recent international break, which makes them likely starters according to AS.
The Garcia-Cubarsi duo worked well last season. They played together five times, and Barcelona won all those matches, scoring twice and conceding only two.
Still, it is clear Barcelona’s defence has flaws, and Flick has not yet chosen the centre-back partnership he trusts for the season ahead.
What Comes Next
After the Valencia clash, Barcelona will travel to England to meet Newcastle United in the first round of the Champions League on Tuesday.
Barcelona have collected seven points from their first three league games this season. They started with a 3-0 win over Mallorca, followed by a 3-2 victory against Levante, before the 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano.
