It's the last game before the first international break of the season and FC Barcelona are clear on what they want to do – make it nine points out of nine and secure joint top spot in LaLiga. Not an easy task though, as the opponents are an in-form Rayo Vallecano, who recently qualified for the league phase of the Conference League and have become a direct and tricky side under the tutelage of Íñigo Pérez.

Flick is very much aware, having mentioned it in the pre-match press conference, and he knows his side will have to put in a good performance to come away from the Vallecas stadium with the win. The German coach cannot count on Gavi, who misses out with a knee issue, but he has named 23 players to make the trip for the game.

The squad in full is Balde, Araujo, Cubarsí, Ferran, Pedri, Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Joan Garcia, Rashford, Christensen, Fermín, M. Casadó, Gerard Martín, Olmo, F. De Jong, Kounde, Eric, Szczesny, Jofre, Dro, A. Fernández and Kochen.

Força Barça