FC Barcelona is preparing to kick off their campaign for the new 2026/2027 season with a match against Elche in the Spanish La Liga.
Barcelona aims to secure a victory against Elche and start the season on a high note, having bolstered their squad with new signings this summer, including João Cancelo, Rodri, Karim Adeyemi, and Anthony Gordon.
The newspaper "Sport" highlighted Cancelo, who joined Barcelona on a free transfer after mutually terminating his contract with Saudi club Al-Hilal.
The paper added that Flick is extremely satisfied with Cancelo's condition and he may start against Elche, despite the Portuguese star participating in only two training sessions since officially joining last Thursday. However, João enjoys Flick's trust and understands Barcelona's playing style.
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Cancelo spent the second half of last season with Barcelona on loan from Al-Hilal, before this move became permanent with a three-season contract.
Sport published Flick's statements, in which he confirmed that Cancelo is ready to face Elche, posing a clear threat to the starting left-back, Alejandro Balde, who is linked with leaving Blaugrana before the summer transfer window closes.
It clarified that Cancelo excelled last season in the left-back position, which is not his natural role, as the Portuguese international primarily plays as a right-back. This tactical shift proved successful, while Flick praised the abilities of the 32-year-old player during tomorrow's match press conference.
The newspaper emphasized that Cancelo joined Barcelona's group training sessions immediately last Friday upon his arrival, reflecting Flick's intention to rely on him as a key player.
Cancelo made significant efforts to return to Barcelona for a third stint, having previously played twice on loan with Blaugrana, while the player affirmed that he only wanted to play for Barça.
