UEFA’s Embarrassing Gaffe: Wojciech Szczesny Listed as Barcelona Winger in Pre-Match Lineup
Football fans were left amused — and UEFA slightly red-faced — after a hilarious mistake appeared in the official pre-match lineup graphic for Barcelona’s Champions League clash against Olympiacos at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
Just before kickoff, the customary UEFA broadcast lineup was displayed on TV screens, but something was clearly off. Instead of showing Barcelona’s actual formation, the graphic bizarrely listed players in completely incorrect positions — and even featured names that shouldn’t have been there at all.
To everyone’s surprise, Alejandro Balde was shown as the team’s goalkeeper, while the attacking trio featured Wojciech Szczesny, Jules Koundé, and Eric García — a combination that left fans in stitches across social media. The error was so absurd that it quickly went viral, with many joking that UEFA must have been experimenting with a “fantasy football” version of the Barça squad.
Although the mistake was swiftly corrected, the incident was still an embarrassing moment for UEFA’s broadcast team, who will undoubtedly take extra care to prevent such mix-ups in the future.
Despite the pre-match confusion, Barcelona went on to thrash Olympiacos 6–1, with Fermin López earning top marks for his outstanding performance. The funny prelude turned out to be just a light-hearted moment before what became a night of pure dominance for Hansi Flick’s side.
