"I'm scared already", "Xavi has lost it" - Fans in disbelief as 2 stars start for Barcelona in La Liga fixture against Villarreal

Barcelona fans are scratching their heads after the Blaugrana unveiled an unexpected starting lineup for their much-anticipated La Liga clash against Villarreal. The spotlight is glaring on the unusual choices of Marcos Alonso and Sergi Roberto to kick things off for the Catalans in defense.

Having collected four points from their initial two matches, Barca find themselves perched at the sixth spot in the standings. Villarreal, on the other hand, have bagged three points to position themselves in the 10th spot.

It's worth noting that Xavi Hernandez's men clinched the La Liga trophy last season with a 10-point lead over their arch-rivals Real Madrid. This time around, they started their La Liga journey with a goalless stalemate against Getafe on August 13.

However, Barcelona bounced back with a convincing 2-0 triumph over Cadiz at Camp Nou. The duo of Pedri and Ferran Torres made their mark with one goal each. But the contest with Villarreal promises to be a sterner challenge compared to the Cadiz encounter.

Yet, it's the startling lineup decisions that have truly set tongues wagging. Social media is ablaze with Barcelona fans questioning Xavi's judgment for opting to field Sergi Roberto and Marcos Alonso. Here is a selection of their tweets:

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Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez stands with Spanish women's team, slams RFEF chief's conduct

During his pre-match press conference, Xavi Hernandez took a moment to shift the spotlight from his club to throw his full support behind the Spanish women's national soccer team. The move comes in the wake of the controversy surrounding the Spanish Football Association's (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales.

The Spanish women's team's historic Women's World Cup win was a monumental achievement that should have been a moment of national celebration. Instead, the event was marred by an unsettling incident during the trophy presentation, where Rubiales kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips.

FIFA responded by issuing a 90-day provisional suspension on Rubiales, preventing him from engaging in any football-related activities. Interrupting his own press conference to address the scandal, the Barcelona manager stated (via Mirror):

"Firstly, unconditional support for Jenni & players in the women's game. Secondly, I condemn the behaviour of the RFEF president, which was totally unacceptable. Thirdly, I regret that people aren't talking about the historic achievement of winning the World Cup."

In further developments, Hector Bellerin and Borja Iglesias have declared their unavailability for national team selection as long as Rubiales remains in office. Television presenter and former England striker Gary Lineker also waded into the debate, lambasting the actions of the RFEF decision to defend Rubiales as "shameful".