The team is heading to the Middle East with the aim of reclaiming the title they won in early 2023 against Real Madrid, only to lose it to their rivals a year later, when Vinicius Jr. made history with the fastest hat trick in El Clasico, contributing to a 4-1 defeat.
At that time, Xavi Hernandez was at the helm, but he has since been succeeded by Flick, who took over after Xavi's contract was extended until June 30, 2025, only to be dismissed for publicly addressing the club's financial challenges.
These financial issues have also impacted squad planning for the 2024/2025 season. Barcelona managed to secure only two signings during the summer: Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig and Pau Victor from Girona, but they were only registered to play until December 31.
As the deadline approached, both a judge and La Liga denied licenses for the remainder of the season.
Despite Barcelona's return to the 1:1 rule under Financial Fair Play (FFP) after generating $103 million (€100 million) from the sale of VIP boxes at Spotify Camp Nou, the Spanish top division and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) again withheld approval for the players, leaving them unable to participate.
Consequently, they were excluded from Saturday's 4-0 Copa del Rey victory over Barbastro, as the competition is governed by the RFEF. This restriction also applies to the Spanish Super Cup and the semifinal match against Athletic Club on January 8.
After the win against Barbastro, both Flick and defender Ronald Araujo addressed the registration situation.
"We have to be professional and accept the situation of Dani Olmo and Pau Victor. I try not to let it affect the team's performance," Flick said.
"Everyone wants Olmo and Victor to be with us, but we were focused on the match against Barbastro. We can't do anything about it. We have to accept it, be professional and work on the pitch," he added.
The decision has been reached to include the Spaniards in the squad in some form.
As reported by various sources, they will be traveling to Saudi Arabia to be part of the team, even though neither player will be able to participate in competitive matches.
This inclusion is expected to enhance overall morale, particularly if Barcelona can replicate their success from two years ago, despite the downturn in results that concluded in 2024.