Barcelona forward Lionel Messi. (Photo : Getty Images)
An improved Liverpool XI is set to face a Neymar-less FC Barcelona squad in the two teams' final match in the 2016 International Champions Cup friendly competitions to be held at the Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday, August 6.
Head coach Jürgen Klopp will feature two of his newest acquisitions, midfielders Sadio Mané and Georginio Wijnaldum, in an attempt to build chemistry with the existing starting eleven members Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana, Daniel Sturridge, and the rest.
The Reds last ICC 2016 match was a 2-0 blanking of Italian Serie A squad AC Milan at the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California last Sunday.
Substitutes Divock Origi and Roberto Firmino netted the goals for Klopp's squad at the 59th and 73rd minutes after a scoreless first half, as per Daily Mail Online.
With the win, Liverpool split its first two games in the annual friendlies after they dropped a 0-1 decision to Chelsea during their ICC opener on July 28.
Meanwhile, Barça will continue to play the rest of the preseason, and perhaps the first few weeks of the new La Liga season as well, without Brazilian winger Neymar, who is currently with his national squad that is set to compete in this summer's Olympic Games in Rio.
The Blaugrana did not miss a beat in Neymar's absence as Spanish winger Munir El Haddadi had ably filled up his spot in Luis Enrique's attacking frontline trio during their past two games.
The 20-year-old forward scored three goals in their first two friendly matches this preseason, scoring once against Scottish squad Celtic to open the ICC then unleashing a brace in their most recent game against Premier League champions Leicester City.
Barça again proved that they are arguably the best team in the world, picking apart the English top flight winners, 4-2, at the Friends Arena in Solna, Sweden even if their midfield and backfield cores are still not available for active duty, via BBC Sport.
Gerard Pique, Ivan Rakitic, Andres Iniesta, Jordi Alba, Thomas Vermaelen, and first-team goalkeepers Claudio Bravo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are still on vacation following their Euro 2016 and Copa America Centenario stints, but they are still favored to win this match against the Reds.
The predicted result is a close 2-1 win for Barcelona.
Liverpool starting lineup (4-1-4-1 formation): Mignolet; Arnold, Lovren, Klavan, Milner; Henderson; Mané, Lallana, Wijnaldum, Coutinho; Sturridge
Barcelona starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Masip; Vidal, Marlon, Mathieu, Camara; D. Suárez, Roberto, Turan; Messi, L. Suárez, Munir
