FC Barcelona vs Villarreal: Probable lineups - Will there be an unprecedented XI for matchday 37 of LaLiga?

Published:17/05/2025 - 22:53h

Updated:17/05/2025 - 22:53h

Will Flick bet on another unprecedented XI? Possible lineup of Barça against Villarreal for the match of matchday 37 of LaLiga 24/25

FC Barcelona and Villarreal face each other this Sunday, May 18, on matchday 37 of LaLiga. The Azulgrana team has already decided the championship in the Catalan derby and seeks to say goodbye to Montjuïc with another victory, while the 'Yellow Submarine' needs another victory to secure its qualification for the next Champions League.

Barça seeks to extend the celebrations for obtaining its twenty-eighth League title and with practically the entire squad available, except for the injured Marc Bernal, Jules Koundé and Ferran Torres.

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

Probable starting XI for Barça:

(#01, GK) Ter Stegen
(#24) Eric García
(#04) Ronald Araujo
(#05) Iñigo Martínez
(#03) Alejandro Balde
(#06) Gavi
(#08) Pedri
(#16) Fermín López
(#19) Lamine Yamal
(#11) Raphinha
(#09) Robert Lewandowski

Barça's bench (substitute players):

(#13, GK) Iñaki Peña
(#25, GK) Szczesny
(#02) Pau Cubarsí
(#10) Ansu Fati
(#14) Pablo Torre
(#15) Andreas Christensen
(#17) Marc Casadó
(#18) Pau Víctor
(#20) Dani Olmo
(#21) Frenkie de Jong
(#32) Héctor Fort
(#35) Gerard Martín

Injured players for Barça:

(#07) Ferran Torres
(#23) Jules Koundé
(#28) Marc Bernal

🥅 What will be the surprises and tactical variations of Flick's Barça against Villarreal?

Ter Stegen in the preview of Valladolid-Barça (1-2)

In principle, Flick plans to make several tweaks to his lineup from the Catalan derby, again with important adjustments in defense. Ter Stegen would be the starting goalkeeper, with Iñigo and Balde back in the XI along with Fermín López and Lewandowski.

Goalkeeping and defense:

Ter Stegen will be in goal, while Eric García and Alejandro Balde will be the full-backs. Héctor Fort should also add minutes in place of the injured Koundé. In the center of the defense, Ronald Araujo could partner Iñigo Martínez, with Pau Cubarsí and Andreas Christensen resting and waiting for their opportunity on the bench.

Midfield:

As a pivot, Gavi could be Pedri's partner in midfield, while Fermín López would return as the team's attacking midfielder. Dani Olmo, a starter in the last four matches, would have a day of rest, while Marc Casadó will be available as a substitute.

Attack:

In attack, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski complete the Azulgrana attack alongside Lamine Yamal. The Pole was absent in the last three matches and needs to return to action to recover lost ground in the fight for the Pichichi. For now, the '9' culé is two goals behind Kylian Mbappé (27).

🚑 CULÉ CASUALTIES! How do they affect Barça against Espanyol?

The injuries of Jules Koundé, Ferran Torres and Marc Bernal are a significant setback for FC Barcelona in the final stretch of the season.

Below, we detail the individual impact of each Azulgrana absence in the Catalan derby.

Jules Koundé, during a Champions League match with Barça

Jules Koundé (starting right-back)

Impact: after playing 86 consecutive matches with the club over the last 12 months, Koundé finally rested on matchday 33 against Mallorca. The Frenchman was the MVP of the Copa final, scoring the winning goal, but was injured in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals against Inter Milan last Wednesday. The '23' has 4 goals and 8 assists in 53 matches with Flick's team
Consequences: in principle, Barça has not determined the length of Jules' absence, who suffers from a distal injury to the biceps femoris muscle of the left thigh. Flick only has Héctor Fort as a substitute right-back and, in the Champions League, he opted for Eric García as an emergency solution. Ronald Araujo could also be a 'patch' to deal with his absence.

Marc Bernal (Midfielder, central midfielder)

Impact: Bernal, one of the revelations from the youth academy, suffered a serious knee injury (rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament) and is out for the season.
Consequences: His absence deprives the team of a physical and tactical profile that had provided balance and energy in the center of the field. Bernal was a valuable alternative for matches with high physical demands and his absence forces Flick to rely more on experienced players or to advance the progression of other young players.

Ferran Torres (center forward/winger)

Impact: Ferran Torres, the team's '9' during Robert Lewanodwski's absence due to injury, may have said goodbye to the season after undergoing surgery on Wednesday, as a result of appendicitis.
Consequences: the 'Shark' was very important in the Azulgrana attack during 'Lewy's' absence, scoring one of the goals in the Copa final against Real Madrid and in the first leg of the Champions League 'semi' against Inter. In addition, he had just broken a record in the last Liga Clásico, with three assists in the first half.

In summary, the absences of Ferran, Koundé and Bernal are a minor setback for Flick against Espanyol. Defensive solidity, creativity in midfield and depth to make rotations in the second half are affected, but the team trusts in the quality of its squad to add the three points in Montjuïc, with the majority of starters available.

🚩 The possible surprise lineup of Villarreal! Gala XI for the 'Submarine'?

Initial XI: Luiz Júnior; Femenía, Foyth, Costa, Cardona; Parejo, Comesaña, Baena; Barry, Pepé and Ayoze.
Bench: Conde (GK), Gómez (GK), Kambwala, Bailly, Pedraza, Suárez, Buchanan, Navarro, Buchanan, Moreno.
Injured: Ilias Akhomach. Suspended: None.

Villarreal, for their part, arrive at the match against Barcelona with all their starters available. Marcelino García's team has four consecutive victories against Espanyol, Girona, Osasuna and Leganés, which puts them fifth in the table with 64 points. With one more victory, the Yellows will return to the Champions League for the first time since 2021/22, when they reached the semi-finals.

In principle, the 'Yellow Submarine' will try to storm Montjuïc for the second consecutive season with Femení and Cardona as full-backs, while Foyth and Costa remain as center-backs. In the center of the field would be Parejo, Comesaña and Baena, with a very ambitious offensive trident formed by Pepé, Thierno Barry and Ayoze Pérez.