Official: Barcelona starting lineup against Daegu FC
This comes after two relatively strong line-ups in the earlier fixtures, especially in the clash against Seoul FC, where Flick fielded a team close to his preferred starting group for competitive matches.
One of the standout decisions is the inclusion of Pedro 'Dro' Fernandez, who missed out on action against Seoul. Flick has handed the youngster a starting role, offering him another opportunity to prove himself.
Meanwhile, Gerard Martín is being used as a left-sided centre-back, highlighting the coaching staff's willingness to test tactical flexibility in pre-season.
In goal, Joan Garcia keeps his place, having now established himself as a regular presence during this Asian tour.
With physical fatigue starting to kick in and the oppressive humidity in Daegu, Flick has chosen a more balanced starting XI.
Despite the rotations, the front three remains untouched, showing Flick's confidence in the attacking trio of Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha.
Their consistent presence suggests that Flick is already shaping the attacking core of his team heading into the new season.
Once the match in Daegu concludes, Barcelona will make their way back to Seoul and then return to Spain.
The team will enjoy a short break before taking centre stage in the Joan Gamper Trophy next Sunday. That game, which will be held at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, will see Barça face Italian side Como.
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Was England vs India the best Test series since the 2005 Ashes? Maybe. You'd struggle to dismiss anyone who argued that it was. It was one that had everything. Brilliant, generational performances with the bat. Thrilling, electric performances with the ball. At times shambolic fielding. Clearly wounded and semi-immobile players ignoring the pain in their bodies to go out there anyway. A sense of genuine antipathy between the two sides, regardless of how both seemed keen to play that down. Play on all 25 days of the series. Implausible finishes. As such, it was a series that produced some incredible visuals; photos that will be remembered for years to come and debated at length. We've picked 10 of them — pictures that encapsulate the defining moments of an astonishing few weeks of cricket. 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That he needed to essentially protect the England captain from his own excesses. All the best with that. Stokes's willingness to drive himself into the ground is one of his best and worst qualities, embodying the spirit that makes him such an incredible cricketer, but also ensuring that — sooner or later — he's going to break down. Advertisement At Old Trafford he did just that, bowling and bowling and bowling as England strove for a victory: it was admirable, but also obvious that we were watching an injury happen in real time, Stokes grimacing and grunting with pain as he ran in, his right arm useless by the end. And so it was, Stokes suffering a tear in his shoulder muscle that ruled him out of the fifth Test. After Chris Woakes dislocated his shoulder, England had essentially to operate with two and a half bowlers in that fifth Test (depending on how harshly you rate Jamie Overton) and his replacement at No 6, Jacob Bethell, scored 11 runs across his two knocks, so Stokes's absence was almost certainly the difference between England winning or losing that Test. And, as such, winning or drawing the series. The symbol of England's arrogance? An example of India's self-entitlement? A handy incident on which people can project their own previously held prejudices and was nowhere near as big a deal as some made it out to be? When Ben Stokes approached Indian batters Jadeja and Sundar, both approaching centuries, to offer the traditional 'call it a draw' handshake at the end of the Old Trafford Test, there followed some pretty weak banter and some fairly immature scenes as England insisted the game come to a close on their terms and India extended it beyond its natural conclusion as they hunted personal milestones. And then came the discourse, much of it considered, some of it tediously pompous, but ultimately it all fed into the narrative of a series with genuine edge. Undignified? Yes, more so for England. Slightly unnecessary? Undoubtedly. But entertaining? Oh yes. Joe Root was a pall-bearer at Graham Thorpe's funeral last year. He credits Thorpe, who championed his cause and was on England's coaching staff for nearly a decade, with making him the batter he is today. Quite apart from the professional debt, Root also talks about Thorpe with a great deal of personal affection. 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Click here to follow cricket on The Athletic and see more stories like this.
