Barcelona and Manchester City Clash in Preseason Showdown

Barcelona is about to step onto the field for the first time with their new head coach, Hansi Flick, when they face Manchester City in Orlando.

On the opposite side, there’s Pep Guardiola, arguably the greatest manager in Barcelona’s history, looking to get his team back on track. Manchester City has struggled a bit on their U.S. tour, losing two high-scoring matches—4-3 to Celtic and 3-2 to AC Milan.

City’s squad is a mix of young talent and big stars like Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish. Haaland has been impressive, scoring in both games during the tour as most of his teammates take a breather after their Euro 2024 commitments.

Barcelona, facing similar challenges with many international players busy with the Euros and the Copa America, also has some key players ready to hit the field. Notably, Robert Lewandowski will likely be in action, having exited Euro 2024 in the group stage.

The predicted lineup for Barcelona features Marc-Andre ter Stegen in goal, with defenders like J. Araujo and Christensen, and midfielders including Gundogan and Torre. They have a long list of injuries with Pedri, De Jong, Gavi, Araujo, and Fati all missing out.

On the City side, players like Gvardiol and Kovacic have recently joined the team after their own summer tournaments. Guardiola has kept a fairly consistent lineup, expecting contributions from Haaland, Grealish, and standout performer Oscar Bobb.

City’s expected formation looks similar, with Stefan Ortega possibly starting in goal to add experience. As they try to regain form, it’s a crucial moment for both teams as they gear up for the upcoming season.

Fans across the globe will be able to catch the match live. In the USA, it will be on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. In the UK, Premier Sports 1 will handle the broadcast. Meanwhile, fans in Australia can watch through Paramount+, and those in India can catch it on FanCode.