Hansi Flick has announced his FC Barcelona squad for tonight's match against Rayo Vallecano without goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic. The game will be played at the Spotify Camp Nou at 21:30 and broadcast on DAZN. The German coach published a squad with no major surprises, but with two significant last-day transfer window absences. Livakovic and forward Gabriel Jesus, whose arrival is imminent, were not included as their LaLiga registration paperwork is still pending.
Rayo Vallecano arrives for this match after a difficult start to the season, sitting 16th in the table with just one point from two games. Their recent form is DL, having scored two goals and conceded three. Francisco's team is eight points behind leaders Real Madrid and is searching for its first win of the campaign.
Why is Livakovic missing from the squad?
The main news in Flick's list is the absence of Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic. His move to Barça is agreed, but his registration with the Spanish league is still awaiting formal completion. The process is expected to be finalized before Tuesday morning, when the summer transfer window officially closes. In the meantime, the team will rely on Joan Garcia and Wojciech Szczesny in goal against Rayo.
The other last-minute absence is that of Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus. The player must arrive in Barcelona this afternoon to sign his contract and be registered as a new Blaugrana player. His arrival, therefore, comes too late for this fixture. These absences add to the injury or suspension list that includes Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, Roony Bardghji, and Marc Casadó.
Who is included in Barça's squad?
Flick has called up 22 players for the match. The squad includes goalkeepers Joan Garcia and Wojciech Szczesny, as well as youth player Eder Aller. In defense are Joao Cancelo, Jules Koundé, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsí, Andreas Christensen, Gerard Martín, and Alejandro Balde. The midfield features Xavi Espart, Pedri González, Rodrigo Hernández, Marc Bernal, Brian Fariñas, and Fermín López. Up front, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Karim Adeyemi, Anthony Gordon, and academy player Hamza Abdelkarim complete the list.
The inclusion of youngsters Eder Aller, Brian Fariñas, and Hamza Abdelkarim from the B team reflects Flick's trust in the academy and covers the numerous absences. You can check the full team status on our injuries page.
What is Rayo Vallecano's current situation?
The Madrid-based team faces its third league match in an uncomfortable table position. With only one point, they need to start adding points ahead of a busy schedule. Their next fixture after the Camp Nou visit is at home against Racing Santander, currently ninth, on September 5th. For that match, Rayo hopes to recover some of their injured players.
Currently, the team has three key players sidelined: goalkeeper Augusto Batalla, defender Luiz Felipe, and midfielder Isi Palazón. Their absences complicate the manager's tactical options against a Barça side eager to reclaim the top spot. Rayo's performance in these opening games can be checked on our standings and stats pages.
What does this squad mean for the match?
The list published by Flick confirms that Barça will play with immediately available resources, without waiting for the market's final signings. Livakovic's omission is the most significant detail, forcing the team to rely on its current goalkeepers in a key match for morale. Rayo, for its part, faces a powerful rival but one with its own notable absences, which could slightly balance the scales.
Barcelona's objective is clear: maintain their good start and recover first place in LaLiga. For Rayo Vallecano, the match represents an opportunity to score against a giant and climb out of the lower positions. The outcome of this duel will set the tone for both teams ahead of the international break and the next matchday, the full schedule of which is available on our fixtures page.
