Barcelona vs. Leganés: Revisiting the Historic Clash Four Years Later
Barcelona and Leganés are set to face each other again, four years after their memorable encounter during the pandemic-affected 2019-2020 season, which was marked by unprecedented circumstances and significant lineup changes.
On June 16, 2020, Barcelona hosted Leganés in a match that became historic as it was the first game at Camp Nou following the COVID-19 hiatus. Played without spectators, the match began with a minute of silence, reflecting the somber global situation. In that game, Barcelona secured a 2-0 victory with goals from Ansu Fati and Lionel Messi. Fati, starting the match, opened the scoring and was a standout performer. This period marked Fati's emergence as a promising talent, though his progress was later hampered by injuries.
Fast forward to the present, only four players from that Barcelona squad remain: Ansu Fati, Frenkie de Jong, Iñaki Peña, and Ronald Araújo. Of these, Fati was the only one who played in the 2020 match against Leganés. Recently returning to training after a muscle injury, Fati's availability for the upcoming match is uncertain, as manager Hansi Flick may choose to reserve him for the forthcoming fixture against Atlético Madrid.
The starting lineup for Barcelona in the 2020 match included Ter Stegen, Lenglet, Piqué, Junior Firpo, Sergi Roberto, Arthur, Busquets, Rakitic, Fati, Griezmann, and Messi, with De Jong, Araújo, and Peña on the bench. Historically, Barcelona and Leganés have faced each other nine times, with Barcelona winning eight and suffering a single defeat during the 2018-2019 season at Butarque Stadium, where Leganés secured a 2-0 victory. Now, four years later, the two teams are set to meet again at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Montjuïc, as Camp Nou undergoes renovations.