Three talking points ahead of Levante vs Barcelona | La Liga MD2 | OneFootball

After getting off to the perfect start to La Liga against Mallorca last weekend, Barcelona continue their journey on the road as they lock horns with Levante tonight away from home.

The hosts, playing in the top division for the first time since the 2021/22 season, started off their campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Deportivo Alaves on Matchday 1 after conceding a 92nd-minute winner.

Tonight, they face a much more stern test as they take on Barcelona, the best team in Spain at the moment, and a side that will continue to have the favourites tag firmly labelled on them once more.

The key objective for Hansi Flick and Co. will be to keep the momentum going, continue to develop synergy and provide minutes to the new signings for adaptation.

After Flick’s disappointment in the team’s attacking output in the last game, however, it will be interesting to see how ruthless the Catalans can be at the Ciutat de Valencia if they get back into their usual goalscoring boots.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Levante vs Barcelona.

A surprisingly challenging venue

Levante have not been in the Spanish top flight for three seasons now and have been regularly relegated to the lower division and promoted back up over the past two decades.

While they have largely been a struggling side in the top division, they have not failed in troubled Barcelona in their meetings. In fact, the Catalans’ away record against them is surprisingly poor given their regular battle with relegation.

Barcelona and Levante have played six times at the Ciutat de Valencia since 2018 across both La Liga and the Copa del Rey.

They faced off twice at the venue in the 2018 calendar year, of which Levante came out on top once, winning by a 5-4 margin in a historic result.

Their luck against Barcelona at home only continued as they then went on to beat the Blaugrana by a 2-1 margin in the cup early in 2019 before taking them down in the league by a 3-1 margin ten months later.

When the two teams met in 2021, they played out a 3-3 draw after a late Sergio Leon equaliser for the hosts. Playing exactly a year later, however, Barcelona got their first win over the team in a while with a narrow 3-2 margin.

The aforementioned numbers make it clear that the Ciutat de Valencia has not been a happy hunting ground for the Catalans in recent match-ups, and Flick will undoubtedly have the record on his radar as one to change tonight.

Midfield rotation expected

In line for a starting opportunity. (Photo by Paul Miller/Getty Images)

While it may appear counterintuitive to change a winning combination just after the first game of the season, Hansi Flick is planning to do exactly that when Barcelona take on Levante later this week.

The change he has in mind is in the attacking midfield position – one where Fermin Lopez started against Osasuna but will not continue as the starter this weekend.

Indeed, the manager is considering handing the start to Dani Olmo on the night to provide the Spaniard with a chance to prove his worth and make a case that he can find his best version.

Flick’s decision is not governed by either players’ performance, nor is it decided based on his pecking order in the department.

The manoeuvre is only being planned to convey to both stars that they will each have their moments this season, and they must develop a healthy competition.

So far in his tenure at the club, Flick’s man management has been spot-on, and his decision to promote an internal competition can only do the team a world of good amid a hectic calendar as the season progresses.

Having both Fermin and Olmo fit and firing, thus, becomes key, and the latter will look to make the most of his chance as he is poised to start on Saturday. A massive opportunity awaits him, and he will look to turn up the heat.

Eyes on Araujo

Mallorca going down to nine men meant that Barcelona were largely untested last weekend, especially in defence, where the hosts simply could not put any pressure.

Yet, Ronald Araujo’s performance was one that came under some scrutiny for his unnecessary aggression, rash challenges and relative rustiness with his distribution.

Flick’s decision to choose Araujo over Andreas Christensen last weekend shows that he intends to help the Uruguayan recover his best version. The player, thus, will likely continue as a starter tonight, but he will be aware that the clock is ticking down fast.

With every passing day, the pressure on Araujo grows, and unless he can step up and prove that he deserves a place in the starting lineup, he could well lose it to Christensen at any point this season.

The game against Levante, thus, is crucial for the defender’s confidence, adaptation and impression as he will look to dispel any doubts over his fit. The spotlight will shine bright on him once more, and it will be interesting to see how he turns up.