The A-Leagues All Stars against Barcelona. The stage is set for Wednesday’s showdown at Accor Stadium in Sydney.
Dwight Yorke’s first managerial role will pit the Isuzu UTE A-League’s best against Xavi’s LaLiga powerhouse Barcelona.
It represents Barcelona’s first trip to Australia as the All Stars concept returns after an eight-year absence.
Here is everything you need to know about the blockbuster clash.
How to watch
The game will be televised live on 10 BOLD via Network 10 on Wednesday, May 25.
The broadcast will begin at 7:30pm (AEST), with kick-off scheduled for 8.05pm (AEST) in Sydney.
Who is playing?
A-Leagues All Stars
Incoming Macarthur FC coach and Manchester United great Yorke has a 21-player squad at his disposal against Barcelona, with Western Sydney Wanderers import Jack Rodwell captaining the side.
Revised due to Saturday’s Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final and confirmed, the squad has been reduced from 30, with Adelaide United defender Alexandar Popovic, Macarthur FC centre-back Adrian Mariappa and outgoing Newcastle Jets forward Olivier Boumal are in to face Barca.
City quartet Mathew Leckie, Jamie Maclaren, Marco Tilio and Curtis Good have dropped out, as well as Western’s Jamie Young, Ben Garuccio and Leo Lacroix – all Grand Final participants were never going to be replaced.
Injuries have forced Adelaide United captain Craig Goodwin and Melbourne Victory pair Jake Brimmer and Roderick Miranda to withdraw, while Newcastle Jets forward Beka Mikeltadze is out of the squad due to personal reasons.
Squad in full:
Goalkeepers
Filip Kurto: Macarthur FC (Coach Selection), Andrew Redmayne: Sydney FC (Coach Selection).
Defenders
Alexandar Popovic: Adelaide United (Replacement), Scott Neville: Brisbane Roar (Coach Selection), Kye Rowles: Central Coast Mariners (Coach Selection), Adrian Mariappa: Macarthur FC (Coach Selection), Jason Davidson: Melbourne Victory (Fan Selection), Rhyan Grant: Sydney FC (Fan Selection), Adama Traore: Western Sydney Wanderers (Fan Selection), Jack Rodwell: Western Sydney Wanderers (Coach Selection).
Midfielders
Isaias: Adelaide United (Coach Selection), James O’Shea: Brisbane Roar (Coach Selection), Daniel Penha: Newcastle Jets (Fan Selection), Callum Timmins: Perth Glory (Coach Selection), Anthony Caceres: Sydney FC (Fan Selection), Milos Ninkovic: Sydney FC (Fan Selection), Reno Piscopo: Wellington Phoenix (APL Commissioner Selection).
Forwards
Nestory Irankunda: Adelaide United (Coach Selection), Jason Cummings: Central Coast Mariners (Coach Selection), Garang Kuol: Central Coast Mariners (APL Commissioner Selection), Olivier Boumal: Newcastle Jets (Replacement).
Barcelona
Xavi’s 20-man squad are in Australia after concluding their 2021-22 LaLiga campaign with a 2-0 loss at home to Villarreal on Sunday.
Barca finished second behind bitter rivals and champions Real Madrid.
Xavi’s travelling party is headlined by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who scored 11 goals in 17 LaLiga appearances, having arrived from Arsenal midway through the season.
Frenkie de Jong, who has been linked to a reunion with new Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford, is also in Sydney, along with Bayern Munich target Ousmane Dembele and star Brazil veteran Dani Alves.
Gerard Pique, Ferran Torres, Pedri, Eric Garcia, Clement Lenglet, Sergi Roberto, Sergino Dest, Neto, Martin Braithwate, Riqui Puig and Oscar Mingueza have not made the trip Down Under.
Squad in full:
Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Ronald Araujo, Sergio Busquets, Ousmane Dembele, Dani Alves, Memphis Depay, Ansu Fati, Adama Traore, Luuk de Jong, Jordi Alba, Frenkie de Jong, Samuel Umtiti, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gavi, Alejandro Balde, Alvaro Sanz, Arnau Tenas, Mika Marmol, Jandro Orellana and Antonio Aranda.
Can you name the 2013 and 2014 All Star squads?
The All Stars have been reincarnated, having last taken to the field against Serie A juggernauts Juventus under Josep Gombau in 2014.
In the inaugural All Stars Game a year earlier, Ange Postecoglou’s team went head-to-head with the then-reigning Premier League champions Manchester United in Sydney.
Do you remember those two All Stars squads?
2013 A-Leagues All Stars 1-5 Manchester United
All Stars squad: Ante Covic (Western Sydney Wanderers), Michael Theo (Brisbane Roar), Michael Beauchamp (Western Sydney Wanderers), Pedj Bojic (Central Coast Mariners), Nigel Boogard (Adelaide United), Connor Chapman (Newcastle Jets), Joshua Risdon (Perth Glory), Joshua Rose (Central Coast Mariners), Nikolai Topor-Stanley (Western Sydney Wanderers), Thomas Broich (Brisbane Roar), Marcelo Carrusca (Adelaide United), Billy Celeski (Melbourne Victory), Brett Emerton (Sydney FC), Rhyan Grant (Sydney FC), Michael McGlinchey (Central Coast Mariners), Liam Miller (Brisbane Roar), Besart Berisha (Brisbane Roar), Mark Bridge (Western Sydney Wanderers), Paul Ifill (Wellington Phoenix), David Williams (Melbourne Heart).
2014 All Stars 2-3 Juventus
All Stars squad: Mark Birighitti (Newcastle Jets), Eugene Galekovic (Adelaide United), Manny Muscat (Wellington Phoenix), Jade North (Brisbane Roar), Joshua Rose (Central Coast Mariners), Storm Roux (Central Coast Mariners), Matt Smith (Brisbane Roar), Michael Thwaite (Perth Glory), Ali Abbas (Sydney FC), Thomas Broich (Brisbane Roar), Marcelo Carrusca (Adelaide United), Gui Finkler (Melbourne Victory), Youssouf Hersi (Perth Glory), Nick Montgomery (Central Coast Mariners), Albert Riera (Wellington Phoenix), Besart Berisha (Melbourne Victory), Alessandro Del Piero (Sydney FC), Bernie Ibini (Sydney FC), Tomi Juric (Western Sydney Wanderers) and David Williams (Melbourne City).
