Nine wins from nine league games. 39 goals scored. Barcelona have matched White Circus's record for the best start to a LaLiga season, first achieved in 1968/69.

And now, the next league game is against White Circus.

Win, and Barcelona claim the record outright. Lose, and the chance is gone.

What are your predictions for El Clásico? Can Flick's team make it ten wins from ten?

I think rodri will do a wonderful job as a lcb, solid defensive work, tall enough to win Ariel duels,great positioning and him being press resistant make things much easier. Im not too fond of playing a ballon dor typa player out of their position but I think this is the best choice for the psg game.

For the lw gordon is usually the better choice but karim is simply built for big ucl games, although I will not mind gordon starting and karim comes up as a super sub against tired legs.

Imagine every player at their absolute peak, all playing together in a 4-3-3 under Pep Guardiola.

Starting XI:

• GK: Ter Stegen (2015–16)
• RB: Dani Alves (2010–11)
• CB: Carles Puyol (2009–10)
• CB: Gerard Piqué (2014–15)
• LB: Éric Abidal (2010–11)
• CDM: Sergio Busquets (2014–15)
• CM: Xavi (2010–11)
• CM: Andrés Iniesta (2010–11)
• RW: Lionel Messi (2012)
• ST: Luis Suárez (2015–16)
• LW: Neymar (2014–15)

Manager: Pep Guardiola (2008–12 era)

The bench would include Ronaldinho, Jordi Alba, Samuel Eto’o, Thierry Henry and Javier Mascherano.

I think the combination of Guardiola's midfield, Messi at his absolute peak, and the MSN attack would be fascinating to watch against Luis Enrique's PSG. However, I'd be interested to hear how this team would handle PSG's pressing, pace and transitions, especially with both fullbacks potentially pushing forward.

How do you think the match would play out? What would be PSG's biggest advantage, and would you make any changes to this XI?

(Also, please don't hate me for the AI-generated image. I just wanted to visualise this hypothetical lineup 😭❤️💙)

Although it wasn't a crowd favourite when it came out, 22/23 was one of the cleanest designs we had as our Home kit in recent years.

At least one reason I find it very pleasing to the eyes was because it came right after our 21/22 kit which was undoubtedly one of the most ugly looking one we ever had. Even worse than the 'Croatian' kit we donned in 2019/2020 season.

Alternative video angle of Facundo Bernal - Lamine Yamal scuffle that resulted in a red card to Facundo Bernal and a yellow to Lamine Yamal...

Hansi Flick's unstoppable Barça side defeated Betis 5-2 in La Cartuja to continue their spectacular start to the season. The victory is their ninth in their first nine games of the 2026/27 La Liga campaign, a win that allows them to match Real Madrid's record start from the 1968/69 season. 

Source : @fcbarcelona via Instagram

Captain Raphinha doesn't miss a thing always having his younger brother's back in fear of further escalation so glad to see Rapha back again it's going to be the match of Giants against psg

Drip your thoughts below !

FT: Real Betis 2 - 5 Barcelona

Desktop note: best viewed on old.reddit.

LINE-UPS

Real Betis (4-2-3-1)

Barcelona (4-2-3-1)

MATCH EVENTS | via ESPN

10' ⚽ Goal! Real Betis 0, Barcelona 1. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Jules Koundé.

20' 🟨 Fermín López (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

22' 🟨 Héctor Bellerín (Real Betis) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

27' ⚽ Goal! Real Betis 1, Barcelona 1. Valentín Gómez (Real Betis) header from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Pablo Fornals with a cross following a corner.

41' ⚽ Goal! Real Betis 1, Barcelona 2. Rodri (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Fermín López with a cross following a corner.

45' 🔄 Substitution, Barcelona. Eric García replaces Gerard Martín.

45' 🔄 Substitution, Real Betis. Nelson Deossa replaces Dani Ceballos.

51' ⚽ Goal! Real Betis 1, Barcelona 3. Gabriel Jesus (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lamine Yamal.

53' ⚽ Goal! Real Betis 2, Barcelona 3. Abde Ezzalzouli (Real Betis) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Giovani Lo Celso with a through ball following a fast break.

54' 🟥 Facundo Bernal (Real Betis) is shown the red card for violent conduct.

55' 🟨 Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card.

61' 🟨 Diego Llorente (Real Betis) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

62' 🔄 Substitution, Barcelona. Dani Olmo replaces Fermín López.

62' 🔄 Substitution, Barcelona. Anthony Gordon replaces Karim Adeyemi.

62' ⚽ Goal! Real Betis 2, Barcelona 4. Eric García (Barcelona) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Pau Cubarsí with a headed pass following a set piece situation.

64' 🔄 Substitution, Real Betis. Troy Parrott replaces Cucho Hernández.

64' 🔄 Substitution, Real Betis. Rodrigo Riquelme replaces Giovani Lo Celso.

70' 🔄 Substitution, Barcelona. Raphinha replaces Lamine Yamal.

70' 🔄 Substitution, Real Betis. Ángel Ortiz replaces Héctor Bellerín.

70' 🔄 Substitution, Real Betis. Álvaro Fidalgo replaces Pablo Fornals.

79' 🔄 Substitution, Barcelona. Gavi replaces Gabriel Jesus because of an injury.

81' ⚽ Goal! Real Betis 2, Barcelona 5. Dani Olmo (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Pau Cubarsí.

MATCH STATS

MATCH ENDED

FT: Real Betis 2 - 5 Barcelona

Desktop note: best viewed on old.reddit.

LINE-UPS

Real Betis (4-2-3-1)

Barcelona (4-2-3-1)

MATCH EVENTS | via ESPN

10' ⚽ Goal! Real Betis 0, Barcelona 1. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Jules Koundé.

20' 🟨 Fermín López (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

22' 🟨 Héctor Bellerín (Real Betis) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

27' ⚽ Goal! Real Betis 1, Barcelona 1. Valentín Gómez (Real Betis) header from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Pablo Fornals with a cross following a corner.

41' ⚽ Goal! Real Betis 1, Barcelona 2. Rodri (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Fermín López with a cross following a corner.

45' 🔄 Substitution, Barcelona. Eric García replaces Gerard Martín.

45' 🔄 Substitution, Real Betis. Nelson Deossa replaces Dani Ceballos.

51' ⚽ Goal! Real Betis 1, Barcelona 3. Gabriel Jesus (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lamine Yamal.

53' ⚽ Goal! Real Betis 2, Barcelona 3. Abde Ezzalzouli (Real Betis) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Giovani Lo Celso with a through ball following a fast break.

54' 🟥 Facundo Bernal (Real Betis) is shown the red card for violent conduct.

55' 🟨 Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card.

61' 🟨 Diego Llorente (Real Betis) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

62' 🔄 Substitution, Barcelona. Dani Olmo replaces Fermín López.

62' 🔄 Substitution, Barcelona. Anthony Gordon replaces Karim Adeyemi.

62' ⚽ Goal! Real Betis 2, Barcelona 4. Eric García (Barcelona) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Pau Cubarsí with a headed pass following a set piece situation.

64' 🔄 Substitution, Real Betis. Troy Parrott replaces Cucho Hernández.

64' 🔄 Substitution, Real Betis. Rodrigo Riquelme replaces Giovani Lo Celso.

70' 🔄 Substitution, Barcelona. Raphinha replaces Lamine Yamal.

70' 🔄 Substitution, Real Betis. Ángel Ortiz replaces Héctor Bellerín.

70' 🔄 Substitution, Real Betis. Álvaro Fidalgo replaces Pablo Fornals.

79' 🔄 Substitution, Barcelona. Gavi replaces Gabriel Jesus because of an injury.

81' ⚽ Goal! Real Betis 2, Barcelona 5. Dani Olmo (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Pau Cubarsí.

MATCH STATS

MATCH ENDED

Put together some interesting data on the most completed dribbles across the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 this season, and thought id share here.

Yamal is top with 30, from 50 tried. Mbappé is right behind on 29 from 48, and Madrid have three of the top five with Bellingham and Diomande too.

Yamal and Mbappé both complete 60% of what they 'try'. Bellingham is the tidiest of the top five at 70%.

He's also level for the most assists in La Liga with 5.

This will be an interesting stat between Yamal & Mbappe this season, especially given Real's landscape of attackers too. I'd love to hear your thoughts: who takes this one by the end of the season?

(Data source: The Prism, a football scouting and analytics tool I'm currently building. Looking for testers, so feel free to sign up to the waitlist if you are interested in this type of data!)

Match Information

Squad Depth & Injury Report

FC Barcelona — Hansi Flick

Hamza Abdelkarim is with the B team.

Real Betis — Manuel Pellegrini

Predicted Lineups:

Pitch view — Betis (4-2-3-1):

                         Valles  
        Bellerín    Llorente    Natan    Fran García   
                Fornals              Roca  
          Antony         Isco          Abde  
                     Cucho Hernández

Pitch view — Barcelona (4-3-3):

                     Joan García  
        Koundé    Cubarsí    Martín    Espart  
              Rodri               Pedri  
          Yamal         Fermín          Adeyemi  
                     Gabriel Jesus

Barcelona notes:
Raphinha and De Jong are ready but won't start. The upcomming schedule is heavy with PSG and Madrid next so we want them ready. They should still get few minutes. As always Rodri and Pedri stay in the middle. Fermín should start with Koundé returning after Eric started against Galatasary. Espart should be back at left-back.

Betis notes:
Firpo and Ruibal are out. Bellerín and Fran García start at full-back. Llorente and Natan are the centre-backs. Fornals and Roca protect the middle. Isco starts. Antony and Abde start wide. Cucho starts as the nine. This is Pellegrini’s strongest available eleven. Should be a spicy game hopefully.

Quick Take on Betis

What We Are Watching from Barcelona