Barcelona go to the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán with 33 goals already across competitions and a goalkeeper decision still hanging over the trip. They have won all seven games in all competitions, which is a strong enough start on its own, and the attack has been doing most of the work. The visit comes just 48 hours after the Racing Santander match, with Joan García picking up a knee injury in that game.

Barcelona's attack has set the tone

The headline numbers are hard to ignore. Barcelona have scored 33 goals in seven games across competitions, while their league return has also been heavy enough to keep the pace high. Lamine Yamal already has seven league goals, Raphinha has nine, and Fermin López has added four goals and two assists. That spread is why opponents cannot just load up on one scorer.

Hansi Flick still has one awkward call to make in goal. The club statement said Garcia is experiencing mild discomfort in his right knee, and that his availability will depend on the evolution of the injury. Goal.com also reported the trip to Sevilla comes only 48 hours after the Racing Santander match, so the medical staff are working against the clock rather than in comfort.

Wojciech Szczęsny is the obvious alternative if Garcia cannot go, with Frenkie de Jong another name likely to draw attention in the build-up. The match, Sevilla vs Barcelona, has enough going for it already without adding a late goalkeeper switch.

Sevilla's start gives the home side a live chance

Sevilla are not arriving as passengers. They have 13 points from six league matches, with four wins, a draw and a defeat, and their back-to-back 1-0 wins over Valencia and Deportivo La Coruna show a side that can keep games tight. That form is not at Barcelona's level, but it is good enough to make the favourite earn the result.

The balance of the preview is fairly clear. Barcelona look sharper, deeper and far more explosive in attack, but Sevilla have done enough early on to stop this from feeling routine. If Garcia is unavailable, the visitors lose a little security in the one area where a surprise can still matter.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →