Barcelona predicted lineup vs Real Valladolid

Barcelona welcome a familiar face to Camp Nou when they host Real Valladolid in La Liga on Sunday evening.

The great Brazilian phenomenon Ronaldo only spent one season at Barcelona but what a season it was. 47 goals in 49 games – including arguably his greatest ever – as the then 20-year-old spearheaded Sir Bobby Robson’s Copa del Rey and Cup Winners’ Cup winners. Two and a half decades on, Ronaldo is Real Valladolid’s president as the newly promoted side travels to Catalonia.

Here’s the XI that Xavi Hernandez may select for the reunion this Sunday.

GK: Marc-Andre ter Stegen – An awkward run threatened to stymy Ter Stegen’s footballing career before he had even reached adolescence. But the frequent nosebleeds his youth team’s goalkeeper suffered opened up a spot between the sticks which the German filled.

CB: Ronald Araujo – Amid the legal intricacies in which Barcelona have found themselves embroiled, a mistake from Joan Laporta’s board could allow Araujo to leave for free next summer despite signing a renewal last April (per ARA).

CB: Andreas Christensen – Before joining Chelsea as a 15-year-old, 27 clubs had invited Christensen to train with them. Barcelona won the race for his services when he left west London for free this summer.

CB: Eric Garcia – In a clear statement of intent from Xavi, Eric Garcia is one of at least three – if not four including the unregistered Jules Kounde – centre-backs ahead of Gerard Pique in Barcelona’s pecking order.

RWB: Ousmane Dembele – During a performance which saw him shifted around the pitch in a raft of positions, Dembele scored his first La Liga goal since February against Real Sociedad.

CM: Gavi – The pint-sized ratter was the only teenager in Europe’s top five leagues to rack up double digits for yellow cards last season (11).

CM: Sergio Busquets – Carles Busquets – Sergio’s dad – was in the Barcelona squad that Ronaldo joined back in 1996, playing second fiddle to Vitor Baia in goal.

CM: Pedri – A fan of the strategic board game Catan, Pedri often looks two steps ahead of his opponents on the pitch.

LWB: Alejandro Balde – Xavi had enough faith in the 18-year-old to start Jordi Alba on the bench for the first time since October last weekend.

AM: Ansu Fati – In less than an hour of football this season, Fati has scored or assisted three La Liga goals already.

ST: Robert Lewandowski – On his 34th birthday last weekend, Lewandowski opened his account for Barcelona with a brace.