Tactics
Raphinha & the annihilation of the offside line
Raphinha is the master of the parallel run and we’ve already seen him reap the benefits of its (almost) unstoppable nature.
Domagoj Kostanjsak
Sports journalist, tactical analyst, scout, author of Anatomy of a Genius: Leo Messi's tactical evolution at FC Barcelona. A Barcelona fan for more than 20 years.
Tactics
All that glitters is not gold: Xavi Hernández and the optimisation of the Barca project
Xavi has now had the worst start of any Barcelona coach with 50+ games since as early as 2001. 50 games, 28 wins, 11 draws and 11 defeats amount to a 56% win rate. Quite clearly, for a club of Barcelona’s aspirations, it is severely lacking.
Opinion
The truth behind Barcelona's triumphant transfer window
Barca are still in the red. But they sold some future assets to give the squad a decent facelift which papers over the cracks for now. This is by no means an escape.
Review
Taming the Chaos: Making sense of Barcelona's madness against Real Sociedad
Xavi still needs time to finesse his style, but this was a good example of his adjusting tactically as the game grew
Tactics
Xavi's wide conundrum & the Raphinha-Dembélé experiment
The Frenchman is far more effective on the right while Raphinha turns into a creator on the left, but maybe there is a case for him to be a more central player
Tactics
Verticality, intensity and defensive awareness are destroying Xavi's progress at Barcelona
Xavi's vertical approach sacrificed control and short-passing for quicker transitions. For a young team this led to rushed decisions, and disjointed buildup.
Profile
Ansu Fati : The search for the new Barcelona no.9
Ansu Fati has elite instincts as a number 9, exploiting space between defenders with well-timed runs. coupled with clinical finishing
Profile
Inverting the script: Xavi's formula to unleash Sergiño Dest at Barcelona
Dest’s driving with the ball. Progressive runs, in particular, are something that immediately catches the eye when you watch him play.
Tactics
Is Arteta's Arsenal blueprint the solution to Barcelona's midfield conundrum?
Both teams have a penetrative left-back option that overlaps the inverted left-winger, a 1v1 specialist on the right with a right-back who cuts in to become a false pivot or interior.
Profile
The Modern Pivot: 5 players who could replace Sergio Busquets at Barcelona
Replacing Busquets like-for-like will be an almost impossible job. Adjusting his role would probably be the way forward
Profile
Ferran Torres: A versatile dynamo for a static Barcelona frontline
Ferran excels in finding space. But would that be enough for him to cement a starting spot for Barca?
Profile
Eric García & Xavi's backline dilemma
Eric is very much a player who snuffs out attacks by reading the game well and staying a step ahead of his opposition.