FC Barcelona and Real Sociedad face each other this Sunday in LaLiga EA Sports 2025/26 at the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium (18:30 CEST), for the seventh matchday of the tournament. Hansi Flick's team arrives with five absentees due to injury, with Raphinha and Joan García being the latest to join the Barça infirmary.

We review the possible starting lineup, the substitutes' bench, and the injured and suspended players of Barcelona under Hansi Flick for the match against Real Sociedad. Complete analysis!

Possible starting XI for Barça against Real Sociedad

  1. (#25, GK) Szczesny
  2. (#23) Jules Koundé
  3. (#24) Eric García
  4. (#05) Pau Cubarsí
  5. (#18) Gerard Martín
  6. (#21) Frenkie de Jong
  7. (#08) Pedri
  8. (#20) Dani Olmo
  9. (#10) Lamine Yamal
  10. (#14) Marcus Rashford
  11. (#09) Robert Lewandowski

Barça Bench (substitute players)

  1. (#31, GK) Diego Kochen
  2. (#33, GK) Eder Aller
  3. (#03) Alejandro Balde
  4. (#04) Ronald Araujo
  5. (#07) Ferran Torres
  6. (#15) Andreas Christensen
  7. (#17) Marc Casadó
  8. (#22) Marc Bernal
  9. (#26) Jofre Torrents
  10. (#27) Dro Fernández
  11. (#28) Roony Bardghji
  12. (#29) Toni Fernández

Injured Barça players

  1. (#01, GK) Marc-André ter Stegen
  2. (#06) Gavi
  3. (#11) Raphinha
  4. (#13, GK) Joan García
  5. (#16) Fermín López

Possible surprises and tactical variations from Flick against Real Sociedad

In principle, Hansi Flick plans to make several adjustments to his XI from matchday 6 against Oviedo (1-3), with De Jong accompanying Pedri and Lewandowski back as the '9' instead of Ferran Torres. Additionally, Lamine Yamal could return as a right winger, replacing the injured Raphinha. Szczesny will also return for Joan García in goal.

Goalkeeper and defense

  • Wojciech Szczesny will be in goal, while Jules Koundé and Gerard Martín will be the full-backs. In the center of the defense, Eric García should partner with Pau Cubarsí, with Ronald Araujo waiting for his opportunity on the bench alongside Andreas Christensen. Jofre Torrents could also have minutes as an alternative on the left, along with Alejandro Balde.

Midfield:

  • As a pivot, Frenkie de Jong is expected to partner with Pedri in midfield, while Dani Olmo would remain as the team's attacking midfielder. Marc Casadó is doubtful after missing Saturday's training due to muscle discomfort. Marc Bernal should also get minutes, after debuting against Valencia with an assist.

Attack:

  • In attack, Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford would complete the Barça attack alongside Robert Lewandowski. The '10' missed the last three matchdays due to injury and, with Raphinha out, is expected to be in the XI against the San Sebastian team. Roony Bardghji also has good chances of returning to the lineup, while Ferran Torres would be a substitute for the first time in the tournament.

Barça Absences: Which players are missing the match against Real Sociedad due to injury?

Joan García will undergo surgery for a meniscus injury

For now, five Barça players will be confirmed absentees due to physical problems. The club will recover Lamine Yamal and Alejandro Balde, but lost Joan García and Raphinha during Friday's matchday.

The Brazilian will be out for three weeks due to an injury in the middle third of the biceps femoris muscle of his right thigh. The goalkeeper, meanwhile, underwent surgery to treat an injury to his left meniscus. The player from Sallent will spend between four and six weeks in the infirmary, which could cause him to miss the first Clásico of the season.

The outlook is much more complex for Gavi. The midfielder underwent arthroscopy and, finally, had to have surgery on the internal meniscus of his right knee. Therefore, the '6' will be out for between four and five months, with February 2026 being the tentative date for his return.

Another who will be out of action until mid-October is Fermín López. The player from Huelva suffered a muscular injury in the left iliopsoas in the final moments of Sunday's match against Getafe and will be out for three weeks.

Due to the October break, in theory, the '16' will miss, at a minimum, three La Liga matchdays and one Champions League matchday. The fourth absentee is Ter Stegen, who will be out of action, at least, until the end of November or the beginning of December.

Possible lineup for Real Sociedad against Barcelona

  • Initial XI: Remiro; Aramburu, Zubeldia, Caleta-Car, Gómez; Gorrotxategi, Pablo Marín, Brais Méndez, Barrenetxea; Guedes and Oyarzabal.
  • Bench: Marrero (GK), Odriozola, Karrikaburu, Muñoz, Zajarián, Goti, Sucic, Turrientes, Soler, Lebarbier, Kubo, Sadiq, Pablo Marín.
  • Injured: Aritz Elustondo, Yangel Herrera, Iñaki Rupérez and Orri Óskarsson.
  • Suspended: None.

Sergio Francisco Ramos's team, on the other hand, arrives at the match against Barcelona with four absentees due to injury and at a difficult time of the season. The San Sebastian team just achieved their first victory in La Liga last Wednesday against Mallorca (1-0), but they still cannot count on Aritz Elustondo, Yangel Herrera, Iñaki Rupérez and Orri Óskarsson, the four injured players.

In that sense, the 'txuri-urdin' team, currently seventeenth in the standings with just 5 points, would take to Montjuïc with Remiro in goal and a line of four at the back formed by Aramburu and Sergi Gómez on the flanks, while the duo formed by Igor Zubeldia and Caleta-Car would remain in the XI.

In the center of the field, Gorrotxategi and Pablo Marín will be in charge of containment, with Brais Méndez and Barrenetxea a little further forward. Up front, Gonçalo Guedes and Mikel Oyarzabal will try to harm the Barça defense. In their last visit to Montjuïc, Real Sociedad took a 4-0 defeat back to San Sebastián, in a match conditioned by Elustondo's early expulsion.