Real Oviedo and FC Barcelona face each other for matchday 6 of LaLiga EA Sports 2025/26 at the Carlos Tartiere Stadium. The Azulgrana team arrives at the match with five players out due to injury and Hansi Flick makes five changes in the lineup compared to the match against Getafe, with the return of the Araujo-Cubarsí central duo being the main novelty.

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

Barça's starting XI: 

 

  1. (#13, GK) Joan García
  2. (#24) Eric García
  3. (#04) Ronald Araujo
  4. (#05) Pau Cubarsí
  5. (#18) Gerard Martín
  6. (#17) Marc Casadó
  7. (#08) Pedri
  8. (#20) Dani Olmo
  9. (#11) Raphinha
  10. (#14) Marcus Rashford
  11. (#07) Ferran Torres

Barça's bench (substitute players): 

  1. (#25, GK) Szczesny
  2. (#31, GK) Diego Kochen
  3. (#09) Robert Lewandowski
  4. (#15) Andreas Christensen
  5. (#21) Frenkie de Jong
  6. (#22) Marc Bernal
  7. (#23) Jules Koundé
  8. (#26) Jofre Torrents
  9. (#27). Dro Fernández
  10. (#28) Roony Bardghji
  11. (#29) Toni Fernández

Injured Barcelona players:

  1. (#01) Marc-André ter Stegen
  2. (#03) Alejandro Balde
  3. (#06) Gavi
  4. (#10) Lamine Yamal
  5. (#16) Fermín López

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

Hansi Flick returns to tweak his defensive zone, with the entries of Ronald Araujo and Pau Cubarsí. Lewandowski and Frenkie de Jong will go to the bench, as will Jules Koundé, while Lamine Yamal is out due to injury. For his part, Marc Casadó returns to the XI along with Marcus Rashford.

Goalkeeping and defense

  • Joan García will be in goal, while Eric García and Gerard Martín will be the full-backs. Jules Koundé rests and Alejandro Balde is still out due to injury. The central duo changes again with the returns of Ronald Araujo and Pau Cubarsí. Andreas Christensen will wait for his opportunity on the bench along with Jofre Torrents.

Midfield:

  • As a pivot, Marc Casadó will be Pedri's partner in midfield, while Dani Olmo remains as an attacking midfielder after Fermín López's injury. Frenkie de Jong and Marc Bernal must wait for their opportunity on the bench along with Dro Fernández. Gavi is also out due to injury.

Attack:

  • In attack, Ferran Torres and Raphinha complete the Azulgrana attack alongside Marcus Rashford. The 'Shark' has six consecutive starts in La Liga and is coming off scoring a brace, while Lewandowski and Roony Bardhji will have minutes in the second half. The Englishman, finally, returns to the XI after serving a 'punishment' day against Getafe.

Barcelona's absentees: Who misses the duel against Oviedo?

Fermín López and Lamine Yamal celebrating a goal in the 2025 Joan Gamper Trophy

A total of five Barcelona players will be confirmed absentees due to physical problems. Lamine Yamal remains sidelined due to pubalgia and his return date is still uncertain, although the '10' is confident of being available on Sunday against Real Sociedad.

The outlook is much more complex for Gavi. The midfielder underwent an 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 muscle injury in the left iliac psoas 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 matches and one Champions League match.

Alejandro Balde, meanwhile, is in the final stretch of recovery from the injury to his left femoral biceps that he suffered at the beginning of September. Probably, the '3' will receive medical discharge this weekend. The fourth absentee is Ter Stegen, who will be out of action, at least, until the end of November or the beginning of December.

Official lineup of Real Oviedo against Barcelona

  • Starting XI: Aarón Escandell; Ahijado, Bertrand, Carmo, Alhassane; Dendoncker, Reina, Chaira, Hassan; Cazorla and Rondón.
  • Bench: Moldovan (GK), Calvo, Sibo, Nacho Vidal, Javi López, Ilic, Gueye, Colombatto, Brekalo, Luengo, Esteban, Domingues.
  • Injured: Ovie Ejaria and David Costas.
  • Suspended: Fede Viñas.

Oviedo, for its part, arrives in a complex situation to matchday 6 of LaLiga. The team of Veljko Paunovic has only one victory in five presentations and is coming off losses against Getafe (2-0) and Elche (1-0), both matches away from home. 

In addition, the 'carbayones' arrive at the match against Barcelona with two sensitive absentees. Fede Viñas is still absent due to suspension, while the midfielder Ovie Ejaria is out due to injury along with the center-back David Costas.

Thus, Oviedo could receive Barça with Aarón Escandell in goal and a line of four at the back formed by the full-backs Ahijado and Alhassane, along with the duo Bertrand-Carmo in the center of defense. Dendoncker and Reina would be the defensive pivots, with Chaira and Hassan further forward. Up front, Salomón Rondón will be accompanied by the eternal Santi Cazorla.