Barcelona Intensifies Training Ahead of Season Kick-Off
FC Barcelona have shifted out of pre-season cruise control and into something far more serious. With the 2026/27 La Liga campaign just days away, Hansi Flick’s squad returned to the Ciutat Esportiva for a sharp, high-intensity session, their second of the week, as attention locks onto the Joan Gamper Trophy and Sunday’s opener against Elche.
They come into this decisive stretch on the back of a 5-2 win over FC Basel, but there was no time for back-slapping. The drills were tighter, the rhythm quicker, the margins smaller. This is now about details, not conditioning.
Xavi Espart back in the mix
One new face – or rather, a familiar one – stood out from Monday’s group: Xavi Espart was back.
The La Masia midfielder, who caught the eye against Basel, returned to full training after being granted a day off. Mundo Deportivo report that Flick allowed the youngster a breather following a heavy summer that included the U19 Euros with Spain and an intense pre-season load.
Rest over. Espart was back working with the first team, fully integrated in the session and again operating in midfield zones where he has begun to make a quiet but clear statement. For a player fresh out of the academy, every touch now feels like an audition.
Pedri and Gavi stay with the group
If Espart represents the future, two pillars of the present remain under close watch.
Pedri and Gavi continued to train with the group, another step forward in their carefully managed build-up. Both are following specific adaptation and workload plans, and both stayed on the sidelines for the friendly against Basel as the staff resist any temptation to rush.
Pedri, back from his holidays and gradually increasing his intensity, is progressing without setbacks. Gavi is on a similar path, mirroring the same controlled ramp-up. Their presence in full collective drills, even without match minutes yet, is a key signal for Flick: his midfield core is edging closer to competitive readiness.
Flick balances Gamper and La Liga
On the pitch, the session felt like a tightrope walk. One eye on Wednesday, the other on Sunday.
Flick used the workout to blend preparations for the Joan Gamper Trophy clash with Al Ahly with the tactical demands of the league opener at Elche. Shapes shifted, pressing triggers were rehearsed, and set plays were run with a clear sense of purpose. This is the final stretch before pre-season talk gives way to real points and real pressure.
The German coach now enters his last few training windows before the season’s first real tests, a week that will define how smoothly Barcelona transition from friendlies to full-blooded competition.
Young blood stays close
The academy presence remained strong. The group of youngsters who have effectively lived with the first team all summer stayed in the dynamic: Alvaro Cortes, Brian Farinas, Ebrima Tunkara, Orian Goren, Jordi Pesquer, Hamza Abdelkarim and Eder Aller all trained again under Flick’s eye.
For them, these are priceless days. For the staff, they are extra options, extra energy, and a reminder that La Masia continues to feed the senior squad.
Next up comes the traditional curtain-raiser. On Wednesday, Spotify Camp Nou will host the Gamper Trophy match between Barcelona and Egyptian side Al Ahly at 8 p.m., with another morning session scheduled at the Ciutat Esportiva at 9:30 a.m.
After that, there will be nowhere left to hide. Elche await, La Liga begins, and Flick’s Barcelona will have to show whether all this carefully calibrated work can survive the heat of a real contest.
