Barcelona Vs Villarreal — Marcelino Seeks Historic Third Camp Nou Win as Flick Overhauls XI

In a high-stakes LaLiga fixture billed as barcelona vs villarreal, Villarreal visit the Spotify Camp Nou with Marcelino chasing a third straight away win over Barcelona — a feat not matched in more than 60 years — while Hansi Flick rearranges his side amid suspensions, injury and an imminent Copa del Rey tie.

Marcelino and Villarreal’s historic chase at the Camp Nou

Marcelino’s Villarreal arrive in Barcelona on the back of two consecutive victories at the Blaugrana ground in league play, victories that came across two successive seasons: a 3-5 win at the Olímpic Lluís Companys two seasons ago and a 2-3 result in the penultimate round last term. If Villarreal win again, Marcelino would match a record that dates back more than six decades — last achieved by Miguel Muñoz with Real Madrid between 1963 and 1965. Earlier stretches include Patricio Caicedo’s three LaLiga wins at Les Corts between 1939-40 and 1941-42 (a run that reaches five when two Copa victories are added).

Villarreal come into the match with their best points total in club history at this stage: 51 points following wins over Levante and Valencia. The team sit third in the table, three points clear of fourth-placed Atlético and nine ahead of fifth-placed Betis. Marcelino has won only five of 31 matches against Barcelona in his career; two of those wins were the recent away league victories with Villarreal, one was an Athletic win in a Copa round of 16 at San Mamés, and two were title-deciding successes in Sevilla — a 2-1 Copa final triumph with Valencia in 2019 and a 2-3 Supercopa win with Athletic in 2021 after extra time. Marcelino notes the differing contexts of prior victories and stresses that "now it is different" as his side prepares for Camp Nou.

Barcelona Vs Villarreal: lineup questions at the Spotify Camp Nou

The matchday picture is shaped by multiple selection dilemmas. Gerard Martí is suspended for accumulation of bookings, a disciplinary absence that opens space at left-back; Aleña Balde, who had been on the bench in the two prior league matches, is poised to return to that left flank. Eric García is expected to start and has amassed 40 consecutive appearances this season. The defence that faces Villarreal will not be identical to the one used against Levante.

Hansi Flick’s rotation with the Copa del Rey on the horizon

Hansi Flick has shuffled his starting XIs relentlessly this season: in 39 official matches, only once has he named the same eleven in consecutive games — that repeat came against Club Brugge after a match with Elche in LaLiga. Since then the average number of changes to the starting lineup has ranged between three and four players per match. The manager plans further changes for this fixture, citing one suspension, at least one injury and broader rotation ahead of the Copa del Rey return leg against Atlético on Tuesday, 3 March at the Spotify Camp Nou. The Copa context follows a 4-0 first-leg deficit to Atlético that Flick has described as difficult to overturn, which is influencing squad priorities for the weekend.

Midfield disruption: De Jong’s injury, Pedri’s status and Marc Bernal’s role

Flick must cope without Frenkie de Jong after the Dutchman suffered a muscular injury on Thursday and will be sidelined for an estimated five to six weeks. The injury forced a midfield reshuffle; one option discussed was Pedri, who had returned against Levante and logged minutes days before the Villarreal match. However, Pedri is named on the bench for this game, while Marc Bernal starts his second consecutive match and appears at least initially entrusted with the midfield alongside two more attack-minded players. Bernal scored in the previous LaLiga round and selection here would mark the first time he strings together two starts in roughly a year and a half, underscoring how injury and rotation have accelerated his involvement.

Fermín returns to a more advanced midfield slot, pairing with Dani Olmo — Olmo making his ninth consecutive start streak end after eight straight — with Olmo dropping deeper and Fermín the most advanced of the three academy players in the engine room.

Starting XI and attacking responsibilities for Ferran Torres

The side announced for the match reads: Joan Garcia; Koundé, Cubarsí, Eric García, Balde; Marc Bernal, Dani Olmo, Fermín; Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Ferran Torres. Flick has opted for Ferran Torres as the nominal number nine once more; the 26-year-old Valencian has scored three goals so far in 2026. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, both scorers in the 0-2 first-round win at La Cerámica, flank Ferran. Concern remains that no Barcelona forward has found the net in the previous three matches, a run that increases the urgency for the front three if the Blaugrana are to protect their lead in LaLiga and provide a positive result in Flick’s 100th match in charge.

What makes this notable is the convergence of history and circumstance: Marcelino’s rare chance to etch his name alongside long-remembered coaches intersects with a Barcelona squad forced into rotation by suspension, injury and cup demands, producing a fixture where tactical decisions carry both immediate table implications and longer-term narratives.