Barcelona vs Vissel Kobe: Match preview | Preseason friendly | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have reached Japan already and they are soon set to play in their first preseason friendly. Unlike their rivals that got to play in the FIFA Club World Cup, La Blaugrana are starting their preparations a bit late. Still, the objective is for Barcelona to sharpen themselves up as soon as possible.

While it is just a friendly with no trophy or prestige at stake, it is still a game that Barcelona should look to win even though it was initially cancelled. However, it should be kept in mind that it is very likely that Hansi Flick’s side might end up deploying two fully different playing elevens in both halves.

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With this being a friendly, there is likely not going to be a lot of tactical preparation for this game. After all, especially for FC Barcelona, this game is meant to be more of a return fixture so that the players can freshen up before the official season starts.

However, that still does not mean that Hansi Flick would to see complacency from his players. After all, for many aspiring talents and new signings, these games are going to be a golden opportunity. They want to impress the coaching staff, so they simply cannot afford to miss out on.

For that reason, after ending last season on a high note, a dedicated performance from Barcelona should be expected. While the expected starting line-up for this game is hard to predict, it seems likely that Hansi Flick will substitute the complete team that starts in the first half and play another eleven altogether in the second half.

Barcelona ended last season with three major titles. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

In terms of form or at least how their previous seasons ended, FC Barcelona were domestically perfect. Winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup, they beat arch-rivals Real Madrid to every single domestic title. As for the UEFA Champions League, they managed to go far and almost reached the final.

Vissel Kobe, on the other hand, already have their official season underway. They are currently the leaders in the Japanese J1 League. In terms of form, they have four wins and one draw in their last five games. That kind of form makes them the team to beat right now in the Japanese league.

Thus, Barcelona cannot afford to slack off or undermine their opponents. Vissel Kobe seem to have enough firepower to hurt their opponents, and with this being Barça’s first preseason game, they will need to bring their strongest qualities and put them on display to the best of their abilities.