Barcelona will finish the Liga 2025-26 season at Mestalla against Valencia, and the game arrives with more than one selection problem for Hansi Flick. Fermín López’s absence forces changes in the team shape, while the latest injuries have already pushed Gavi into an unfamiliar role on the left wing since the Atlético de Madrid match.
That left side has become one of the main questions for Flick in the final league match. One possible setup would keep Gavi on the left, Raphinha on the right and Bernal, Pedri and Olmo in midfield. Another would move Roony to the right and send Raphinha back to the left, depending on how Barcelona want to balance the attack. The decision matters because the side has been forced to adapt during the last few league matches, first without Raphinha and then without Lamine.
The weight of the game is not the same for both clubs. Barcelona has little at stake beyond good feeling and a few small conclusions for next season, but Valencia still has the possibility of qualifying for Europe. That gives Carlos Corberán’s side a clear reason to compete hard at home, even if the matchup has tilted Barcelona’s way before. Valencia suffered heavily in two results against Barcelona last season, and that memory hangs over the night at Mestalla.
Flick’s most reliable piece may again be Eric Garcia. The coach has made clear that Garcia is indispensable, and the defender has played 36 of the 37 league matches so far, making him the most used player by Flick in LaLiga. Since Gerard Martín settled as the left-sided center back, Garcia has been asked to move around even more, appearing as a fullback, a midfielder and a center back. In a team already reshaped by absences, that flexibility has turned him into one of the few certainties.
Jules Koundé is also likely to start again at right back after his match against Betis, which would leave Barcelona with a familiar defensive spine but several moving parts ahead of it. That is where the match could open up. Valencia under Corberán does not always press high and may defend a few meters outside its area, with the possibility of surprising Barcelona with a back five. If that happens, Pedri’s passing could become decisive, especially for Ferran Torres, Raphinha and Rashford if they find space between the lines.
So the final night of the league season is less about a title chase than about shape, timing and trust. Barcelona go to Mestalla looking for a clean ending and a better read on who fits where, while Valencia chase a European place and a result that would carry real value into the summer.
