Barcelona conclude their preseason tour of Asia on Monday when they visit Daegu FC searching for a third successive friendly victory.
La Blaugrana were convincing 3–1 winners in their clash with Japanese side Vissel Kobe on their first stop in the Far East, proceeding to thrash FC Seoul 7–3 in a thriller on Thursday. Hansi Flick will be eager to see another defiant display from his side against Daegu, before returning home for the Joan Gamper Trophy match with Como next Sunday.
Barça have fielded strong starting lineups for both their friendlies this summer, hence why victories have been so straightforward, and Flick is unlikely to make significant alterations to his star-studded XI on Monday.
Daegu will be fearing the worst given their current form, with the South Korean side without victory in 12 matches. They haven’t won a game since their 2–1 triumph over FC Anyang in mid-May, with the K League season still ongoing.
Here’s Sports Illustrated’s guide to Barcelona’s third pre-season friendly.
What Time Does Daegu vs. Barcelona Kick-Off?
- Location: Daegu, South Korea
- Stadium: Daegu iM Bank Park
- Date: Monday, August 4
- Kick-Off Time: 7 a.m. ET / 4 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. BST
Daegu vs. Barcelona Head-to-Head Record
This is the first fixture between Daegu and Barcelona.
Current Form (All Competitions)
How To Watch Daegu vs. Barcelona on TV
Daegu Team News
Daegu manager Park Chang-hyun will be relying on the individual brilliance of Brazilian forward Cesinha to unlock Barcelona’s backline, with the 35-year-old having managed nine goal contributions in 14 matches for the club this calendar year.
Daegu will be without Kim Jeong-hyun, Park Dae-hun and Hong Jeong-un due to injuries, with the struggling K League outfit unlikely to make many alterations from the lineup that was beaten by Pohang Steelers last time out.
Daegu Predicted Lineup vs. Barcelona
Daegu Predicted Lineup vs. Barcelona (4-4-2): Oh: Woo, J-H Kim, Jo, Jeong; Hwang, Lee, Lamas, Jung; J-G Kim, Cesinha.
Barcelona Team News
Barcelona are expected to go strong again on Monday, with Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski all likely to start in the forward line. That spells trouble for Daegu, especially given they will be supplied by the likes of Dani Olmo and Pedri.
Flick rotated his entire lineup at halftime against FC Seoul and will likely do similar in Daegu, with Ferran Torres and Gavi shining bright as substitutes last time out. The former scored twice and the latter provided a goal and assist.
There could be more minutes for summer arrivals Marcus Rashford and Roony Bardghji, who are both in need of first-team exposure as they look to settle into new surroundings.
Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Daegu
Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Daegu (4-2-3-1): J. García; Koundé, Cubarsí, Araújo, Balde; Pedri, De Jong; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski.
Daegu vs. Barcelona Score Prediction
Given Daegu’s disastrous run of recent results, which has seen them conceded 12 times in their last five outings, Barça should romp home to an emphatic victory on Monday. There’s even a chance they surpass the seven they scored against FC Seoul.
The heat is rising for Barça as they prepare to defend their domestic treble in the new campaign, and while preseason is not a guaranteed indicator of things to come, the signs are promising for La Blaugrana thus far.
Prediction: Daegu 0–5 Barcelona
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Daegu FC vs. Barcelona: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.