Barcelona visits Sevilla in a crucial La Liga match before the season's first international break. Coach Hansi Flick's side aims for their seventh league win to remain sole leaders, despite significant injury concerns. Joan Garcia, Frenkie de Jong, and Roony Bardghji are all sidelined, impacting the squad depth. Flick publicly defended goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny, emphasizing his experience and past contributions to a league title, despite recent scrutiny.

Meanwhile, Luis García Plaza's Sevilla arrives in strong form, having secured four wins from their last six games. They will be without Lucas Stassin, Kike Salas, and Rubén Vargas. Sevilla previously defeated Flick's Barcelona 4-1 last season, setting the stage for a challenging encounter at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán.