“Get out”, “I thought bro left” - Barcelona fans baffled after seeing 22-year-old star in squad to face Benfica in Champions League

Barcelona fans were surprised to see the 22-year-old forward Ansu Fati in their Champions League matchday squad. Blagurana are set to face Benfica later today (January 21) at the Estadio da Luz in Portugal, and Fati will be among the players available for selection.

The winger has not been in the best of forms in recent seasons. He played alongside Lionel Messi as a teenager and became widely recognized as the player to take up the mantle from the legendary Argentine. However, things have not gone in that direction for Fati.

Long-term injuries, like a meniscus tear that kept him out for much of 2021, have hampered his growth seriously. He has since lost his place in the first team. A loan spell at Brighton & Hove Albion last season was not beneficial as he endured injuries, and his future at Barcelona is uncertain.

The winger has played just eight games this season, with a total of 186 minutes, and it doesn't seem certain that he will play much more. So, it was a surprise for fans to see him in their matchday squad to face Benfica.

They took to X to react with comments like these:

"Ansu fati in squad list. Lol" a fan mocked.

"Fati is on there 😳" another fan was shocked.

"I thought bro left" a third added.

"What’s ansu fati doing there?" another demanded.

"Fatiiiiii get outtttt🤦🏿‍♂️🤦🏿‍♂️🤦🏿‍♂️🤦🏿‍♂️" this fan was upset.

"Sell Fati" this fan requested.

"Ansu shouldn’t be in the squad after blocking his transfer; otherwise, in the future, other players in the same situation would do the same, as everyone will think that they will still end up being part of the squad, even if they initially weren’t included" a fan analyzed.

"Ansu going nowhere near that pitch we all know🤣🤣" another mocked.

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Barcelona boss Hansi Flick plays down Champions League hopes

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has played down any conversations about the Blaugrana winning the UEFA Champions League. He admitted that it would be a rather difficult task, especially for his players, who are gunning for three trophies currently.

When asked about their chances in his press conference ahead of the game, he responded (via Reuters):

"The future will tell whether we are among the favourites or not. The Champions League is one of the most difficult competitions to win, but we have to try..."

"We are doing well but there are very good teams that are also doing well and we are contending on three fronts (Champions League, LaLiga and Copa del Rey)," he added.

Barcelona are currently sitting in second place on the Champions League table with 15 points, just three points behind leaders Liverpool.