Barcelona head into the new LaLiga season with genuine momentum, and the appointment of Raphinha as the club's permanent captain marks a defining moment in the post-Lewandowski era. Hansi Flick and the first-team squad chose the Brazilian attacker to lead the reigning Spanish champions, making him the first player from his country to hold the armband permanently. Lamine Yamal has also been included in a new five-man captaincy group, a sign of how quickly the 19-year-old has grown into a leadership figure at the club.

On the pitch, Barcelona have been ruthless. Three LaLiga wins from three games, including a 5-2 dismantling of Rayo Vallecano at Spotify Camp Nou, have them top of the table with nine points. They have scored 12 league goals already, and summer signing Anthony Gordon has settled quickly after his £70 million move from Newcastle United, earning the trust of the dressing room both on and off the pitch.

The squad picture carries a note of concern ahead of Sunday's trip to face Valencia at Mestalla. Lamine Yamal missed the club's final training session and is a doubt for the fixture. Roony Bardghji, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, and Jesse Bisiwu are also unavailable through injury. Off the pitch, Barcelona have moved to protect their academy pipeline by opening contract talks with Hamza Abdelkarim, Xavi Espart, and Brian Farinas following their breakthroughs into the first team. The club also announced record revenues above €1 billion for 2025-26, underlining how far their financial recovery has come.