Getting started on this lineup prediction mess
So yesterday I got this idea stuck in my head – can I actually figure out who Xavi will start for the Barca game against Alaves? Seemed simple enough, right? Wrong. First thing I did was stare at my phone for like twenty minutes scrolling through Twitter. Typed “Barcelona” into the search bar and just watched all this junk flood in. Some account called “InsiderTransferGuy” said Lewandowski is definitely starting. Another dude argued he’s injured. Total chaos.
Then I remembered Pedri just came back last week. Started scribbling on this old envelope I found next to my coffee mug. “If Pedri plays… does Gavi move? Or Fermin?” Drank two cups of cold coffee trying to make sense of midfield combinations. Checked the last three Barca lineups on my laptop – tabs everywhere, browser fan whirring like a jet engine. Noticed Xavi keeps changing the right back spot. Kounde played there sometimes, then Cancelo, then Roberto? Made no clear pattern.
Where things got messy
Decided I needed injury news. Official sites are useless until like an hour before kickoff. Went back to Twitter rabbit holes. Found this physio guy who tracks training participation. His feed showed blurry videos of players jogging. Zoomed in until my eyes hurt:
- Lewa doing stretches alone? Maybe okay?
- Saw a blurry frame of Frenkie running? Could be him?
- Gavi definitely not in any shots. Still hurt then.
Started doubting everything. Went down another hole checking Alaves’ injury list. Who would they even play as striker? Should that affect Barca’s defense?
My final shaky guess
Gave up researching after three hours. Grabbed a pen and just stabbed names onto my envelope:
- Goalie: Stegen obviously
- Defense: Cancelo (maybe? Or is Kounde?) Araujo, Cubarsi, Balde
- Midfield: Frenkie finally back? Pedri? And maybe Gundogan?
- Attack: Lewa still looks doubtful… throw Raphinha and Yamal out wide? Maybe Ferran?
Sounded okay. Left the midfield thin without backups but whatever. Stared at it. Erased Cubarsi and wrote Christensen. Then erased it again. Got hungry and made toast. Came back and decided Yamal probably starts on right wing if Lewa doesn’t play. Stuck the envelope on my fridge. Felt proud for five minutes. Then remembered Xavi loves weird last-minute changes and probably proves me completely wrong tomorrow. Whatever, it was fun trying.