Got bored before the Barcelona vs Betis game tonight, thought I’d try guessing the starting lineups. Total guesswork really, but here’s how I went about it.
Where I Started
First, grabbed my phone and started scrolling. Every fan account on Twitter was screaming different things. Some dude claimed Gavi was definitely starting, another swore Ferran Torres got picked. Total mess. Couldn’t trust any of it outright.
Then I hit up that popular stats site everyone uses. Big mistake. Site was crawling slow, probably half the planet checking it before kickoff. Saw something about Ronald Araujo maybe having a knock? Clicked three different rumor tabs – one said “minor discomfort,” another said “fully fit.” Shrugged and decided Araujo probably starts anyway.
Throwing Darts at the Board
Figured Xavi’s brain works in patterns. He’s gotta rotate, right? Lewandowski’s old legs can’t play every minute. So my logic went like this:
- Keeper’s easy – Ter Stegen unless his back exploded
- Defense: Cancelo’s fresh, Kounde hates the right side but plays it anyway, Araujo looks grumpy but plays
- Midfield: Gundo’s a machine, De Jong holds things together… Pedri’s fit now but do they risk him from the start?
- Attack: Yamal’s hot right now, Raphinha’s buzzing… but what about Felix? Joao Felix is always a maybe.
Scribbled two versions in my notes. One with Pedri starting (“Attacking Xavi!”), one without (“Safe Xavi”). Betis was worse – no clue if Fekir was match-fit. Just crossed fingers and slapped Isco’s name in because he loves a big game.
The Final Guesses
Settled on this mess for Barca:
Ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, Cancelo; Gundogan, De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha.
For Betis? Threw in:
Bravo; Bellerin, Pezzella, Riad, Miranda; Rodriguez, Roca; Isco, Fekir, Diao; Willian Jose.
Why? Because it felt balanced, kinda. And Fekir’s name popped up more than twice. Absolutely no science here. Just vibes, rumors, and remembering who looked tired last game. Araujo’s “knock” probably meant nothing. Pedri maybe comes off the bench. Felix likely sulks there too.
Posted it all to my blog with a shrug. Lineup predictions? Basically reading tea leaves while half-blind. Told everyone to check back after the actual teams drop – guaranteed I get at least three wrong. Happens every time. Xavi loves a last-minute curveball.