Barcelona names 23-man squad for Champions League opener against Feyenoord, without Eric Garcia

It's almost time for Barcelona to take the field at Spotify Camp Nou for a Champions League night, and Hansi Flick already has his squad ready for the continental opener. 23 players have been called up to host Feyenoord, and the list looks almost identical to the one that thrashed Valencia 5-0 at Mestalla just a few days ago. Nearly a carbon copy, save for one absence that was already expected.

That absence has a name: Eric Garcia. The defender will miss the European debut due to suspension, serving out a red card he picked up in the second leg of last season's Champions League quarterfinals against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano. As if that weren't enough, in the Mestalla match itself he suffered a collision with Rodri that left him with a broken nose and forced him off the field before halftime. A double blow for the center back, who now also can't compete for a starting spot due to his physical condition.

The other two absences remain the same as in recent weeks: Frenkie de Jong and Roony Bardghji, both nursing injuries since the summer and still without a firm return date. Flick addressed the Dutch midfielder's situation in his pregame remarks, making clear that his recovery is on track but that patience is needed.

"He's a player with enormous quality and I'm very happy to have him with us. He needs to recover and work, everything is going as planned and I hope we can see him in a few weeks. We'll see what happens after the international break."Hansi Flick

The full squad list

For this first test of the league phase, Flick called up: Joan Garcia, Joao Cancelo, Alejandro Balde, Brian Farinas, Pau Cubarsi, Gavi, Fermin Lopez, Pedri, Gabriel Jesus, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Xavi Espart, Wojciech Szczesny, Karim Adeyemi, Andreas Christensen, Rodri, Anthony Gordon, Gerard Martin, Dani Olmo, Marc Bernal, Jules Kounde, Dominik Livakovic and Hamza Abdelkarim.

The goal is clear: lift a Champions League trophy that has eluded the club since 2015, when Messi, Neymar and Suarez completed the treble. Winning at home and getting the league phase off to a strong start would be an important first step.

An unbeaten Feyenoord

This won't be just any opponent. The Dutch side arrives at Camp Nou unbeaten so far this season: three wins and two draws in their first five Eredivisie matchdays. Add in what they carried over from last season, and the number climbs to 19 consecutive matches without a defeat.

In charge of Feyenoord's bench is Gio van Bronckhorst, who needs no introduction among Barcelona fans: he managed Barcelona itself a couple of seasons ago and now returns to a stadium he knows well, though this time from the other side of the touchline.