FC Barcelona next face Cadiz at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium for matchday two of La Liga EA Sports in their 2023/2024 campaign after having faced a goalless draw against Getafe at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez in their opening La Liga fixture.
The consequences of that game went beyond simply the points dropped however, as Barcelona saw red cards handed out to both Brazilian winger Raphinha and Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez, as they are now set to be suspended for the upcoming two games each against Cadiz and Villarreal.
While Xavi’s loss is significant, replacing Raphinha on the field will be a great task in its own right but the Barcelona manager has options, four to be exact according to Mundo Deportivo, that could potentially take over the spot once battled over by both Raphinha and the now departed Ousmane Dembele.
Ez Abde (21 years)
The Moroccan winger possesses arguably the ability to most unnerve the Cadiz defense with his raw dribbling prowess and reliability in terms of ball carrying and pace to aid his pursuits.
He was Xavi’s first call to replace the impact of Raphinha when Barcelona were facing off against Getafe in the opening game and with his comfort being at its best on the wing, he may be the natural first selection for this game.
Lamine Yamal
The youngest in the squad to feature against Getafe, the La Masia talent was called upon by Xavi Hernandez before even bringing on either Ansu Fati or Gavi to help Barcelona get a goal in the goalless encounter, showcasing a clear faith in the 16-year-old.
His vision and dribbling ability is quite likely to unsettle defenders, as he showcased against various opponents during the pre-season and he could be a great asset for Barcelona to count on yet again, perhaps even as a starter unless Barcelona decide to be a bit more cautious with him.
Ferran Torres
The top scorer of the Barcelona pre-season with three goals to his name, the Spaniard has thus far not had the chance to represent Barcelona during the official season, having been completely unused during the game against Getafe.
However, given his affinity to play comfortably at the right wing, a position he has experience with, the former Manchester City player could be given his first feature of the official season by the Barcelona coach against Cadiz with the hopes that his pre-season form continues to shine through.
Ansu Fati
The once acclaimed crown jewel of La Masia, the 20-year-old forward has always had an eye for goal and has demonstrated it against Cadiz before as well. With two impressive goals to his name during the pre-season, the player continues to improve in terms of form and fitness simultaneously.
Despite his preferred position being on the left wing or mainly as a central striker, the individual quality he possesses would make it easier for him to adapt to the right wing as well potentially. Xavi does, however, continue to count on him regardless and the Barcelona coach could prove that to him by counting on him during the game against Cadiz.
