"Pray for Betis", "Let’s cook" - Barcelona fans delighted with Hansi Flick going full strength vs Real Betis
Barcelona fans have taken to social media to share their delight with manager Hansi Flick's decision to go with a full-strength squad in their upcoming match against Real Betis. The Blaugrana have traveled to Seville, where they prepare to take on their hosts at the Benito Villamarin today (December 7).
Hansi Flick has continued with his 4-3-3 formation, which has helped Barca reach the top of the La Liga table. Between the sticks, he has kept Inaki Pena, with Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez holding down the central defense. They are flanked by Jules Kounde on the right and Alejandro Balde on the left.
In the middle of the park, Marc Casado will reprise his role as the defensive midfielder, alongside Pedri. Dani Olmo will start in attacking midfield, while flanked by Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. Robert Lewandowski will lead the line up front.
Fans are delighted with Barcelona's starting lineup, and they posted comments like these:
"Our strongest line up, nice. Would be the same against Dortmund too," a fan promised.
"Let’s cook" another was pleased.
"Olmo starting 😭😭😭 Pray for betis," a third said.
"Our Best XI is Back ❤️💙😍" a fan hailed.
"They said Pedri would be on bench 😭😭" another laughed.
"Solid lineup. 7 point gap needed," this fan added.
"This is a solid starting 11. I always love it when we play with this. Pray for Real Betis," another was happy.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick reveals Raphinha won't be getting rested
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick shared some insight into his starting lineup during his press conference, revealing his decision to play Raphinha. The Brazilian winger has been highly instrumental to the club this season, scoring 16 goals and providing 10 assists in just 21 appearances.
Flick hopes that this run of form will continue, telling the press that Raphinha will play as many minutes as possible (via Yahoo Sports):
“We need Raphinha in all of the games, he is a key player for us. We will see how he is. If Rapha says he is good, we see how long he can play whether that is 90, or 70, or 60. He will play what he can. He will start tomorrow, Lewandowski is also important for us, and he will start too.”
Barcelona currently lead the rankings with 37 points, but they only sit four points ahead of Real Madrid on the table. A win against Real Betis will increase this gap to seven points and put some pressure on Los Blancos to win their own game against Girona later today (December 7).