Joao Cancelo, a starter in his first match at Spotify Camp Nou

FC Barcelona returns this Sunday to Spotify Camp Nou 43 days after their last home game (2-0 against Osasuna) and with the obligation to secure three points against Real Oviedo to maintain their lead in LaLiga. In his second appearance in the tournament after returning to Barça on loan, Joao Cancelo will start at left-back

The Portuguese international redebuted last week in the Blaugrana's defeat at Anoeta (2-1), a match in which he played 28 minutes after coming on for Alejandro Balde in the 62nd minute. Once again, the '2' will be in charge of replacing Barça's usual left-back, who only missed 5 games due to injury in September.

Álex had not started on the bench since the match against Guadalajara, in the Copa del Rey round of 32, and has already accumulated 1,895 minutes of action in 25/26. Both he and Jules Koundé will have a well-deserved rest against Oviedo, with Marc Casadó being in charge of replacing the Frenchman in the first half of the match corresponding to matchday 21 of LaLiga

Cancelo will play for the first time at Spotify Camp Nou

For Cancelo, the match against Oviedo will be his first in a Barça shirt at the revamped Spotify Camp Nou. **The Barreiro native played 42 games in the 2023/24 season**, also on loan, but the Catalans played their home games that season in Montjuïc while the renovation of the Barça temple began.

The team returned home on November 22, 2025, and, for now, boasts a perfect record of victories (4 against Athletic, Alavés, Atlético, and Osasuna) with a balance of 12 goals scored and only 2 conceded.

Hansi Flick's team, moreover, **have won all their home games in LaLiga 25/26**, a couple of them (Valencia and Getafe) played at the Johan Cruyff and another 3 (Real Sociedad, Girona, and Elche) at MontjuïcIn his first season, Joao Cancelo had to wait until matchday 4 to debut in the league due to registration issues. The Portuguese player played his first official home match on September 16, 2023, in the 5-0 thrashing of Betis at the Lluís Companys.

Joao Cancelo wants to celebrate his first victory with Barça this season

After a bitter re-debut at Anoeta, the '2' is confident of celebrating a victory against Oviedo, who visit the Camp Nou for the first time in 25 years. The Portuguese was not available last Wednesday in the Champions League against Slavia Prague (2-4), as he has not yet been registered for the UEFA Champions League. 

The 31-year-old defender returned on a six-month loan from Saudi club Al Hilal, with whom he has a contract until 2027. In principle, the loan does not include a purchase option, but Barça does not rule out negotiating a permanent transfer in the summer if the Portuguese player's performance meets the technical staff's expectations in the second half of the season.