A players' strike in Spain has delayed La Liga but Barcelona have already beaten Real Madrid 5-4 over two legs in the Spanish Super Cup and won the Joan Gamper Cup, named after their founder, by beating Napoli 5-0 on Monday.
They have secured another prized asset with the return of Cesc Fabregas from Arsenal, and while winning the Super Cup is not the most important of UEFA honours, coach Pep Guardiola is expected to name a strong side for Barca's record eighth appearance.
The World Player of the Year scored three and set up two of Barca's goals against their great rivals and also scored two more in the 5-0 friendly win over Napoli on Monday.
"I still need to adapt to everything - I'm not Messi, nowhere near," Fabregas told Barca television. "Here everything is very disciplined, at Arsenal I played where I wanted - little by little I'll find my feet and I will learn a lot."
The arrival of the versatile Spain midfielder gives Guardiola plenty of options to vary his team in Friday's match against the Europa League winners and in other friendlies organised because of the strike.
Barca's other new recruit, Chile forward Alexis Sanchez, is back in training after a muscle strain, but Gerard Pique, Carles Puyol and midfielder Ibrahim Afellay are injured which could mean Eric Abidal, a former Monaco player, and Javier Mascherano being drafted into the centre of defence.
But early-season displays have been lacklustre and the side have looked disjointed. In last weekend's match against Gil Vicente, they looked affected by the sale of Colombia striker Radamel Falcao to Atletico Madrid but came from behind to win 3-1.
