The barca has a style of play that does not change. There is an invariable programmatic base, a non-negotiable ideology regardless of the rival and the field, and then there are specific nuances for each moment. The forward pressure and the immediate pressure after the loss of the ball in the defensive aspect, as well as the will to have possession of the leather and play in the rival’s plot are instructions that never change. Actually, they are commandments of the Barça model. Precepts inherited from Johan Cruyff about which Xavi Hernandez Build your proposal. The one he wanted to show at the Bernabéu, retouched with the specific and exclusive nuances that the occasion required.
Actually, playing at a high pace of play is a commandment, especially when the rival comes out with a defensive attitude, positioning himself in the last third of the field to close all the spaces. Barça is faced with this scenario most of the time.
Barça wanted to wear down their rival with possessions, although they were the most tired team for having played on Thursday.
Also Madrid “chameleonic”, as Xavi defined it on the eve of the classic, takes refuge in the so-called low block to be able to go on the counterattack. It was also necessary to move the ball from side to side to unbalance him. You had to force the fatigue of your players. Modric and Kroos are over 30 years old, they are among the most used by Ancelotti and they lack the perseverance to spend their lives chasing the ball.
Barça gave almost 695 passes (621 good) to Madrid’s 471 (409). In the Super Cup match the difference was from 704 to 640. Xavi insisted that there be long possessions, using the width of the field to the maximum and minimizing risks in the creation phase so as not to encourage one of the rival’s best virtues. Madrid does not like to run after the ball. Madrid likes to run forward.
Xavi knew that he had to stop Madrid far from the danger zone to prevent Rodrygo and Vinicius, plus Valverde, the most vertical of the midfield, from going on the run and forcing a one-on-one with the Barça defenders. The Barça coach did not want a two-way match, although Barça can now face this type of match with players like Aubameyang and Ferran. In the Super Cup he gave up in extra time with a four against two defenders.
Xavi ordered long circulations to mess up Madrid, which came out confused with the locations of Kroos and Modric
The order given in the locker room to prevent the Whites’ counterattack was seen immediately: Frenkie de Jong knocked down Kroos to prevent him from activating the strikers (m. 26); Sergio Busquets committed a gross foul (m. 30) with a warning for grabbing Militao by the neck when he was progressing through the central area, before even reaching the dividing line and Pedri grabbed Modric by the waist (m. 35) when he started another counterattack.
The Croatian managed to connect with Vinicius and the referee granted the advantage law. The play continued with Vinicius’s simulation of a penalty against Ter Stegen, Barça’s immediate attack that ended in a corner that Araujo headed, shielding the scoreboard (0-2).
The forwards committed as many fouls as the midfielders and defenders. Three each line of the starting eleven.
Find the inner spaces
Moving the ball with series of passes ends up causing the opponent to get messy and the players do not end up closing the spaces promptly. Neither Modric nor Kroos are gifted for defensive rigor. It also generates the greatest fatigue of the rival. Barça, which managed its forces with the ball, as it pleases, presented itself in worse conditions: faced Galatasaray on Thursday in Istanbul and returned on Friday in a journey of almost four hours. Madrid had played on Monday in Mallorca.
In addition to the four goals, there were five shots that required Courtois and four shots out in clear situations
You will have heard Xavi talk about the use of the “squares”, which are the spaces between the center-back, the full-back and the closest midfielders on each side. It is the place that the interiors of Barça must, or should occupy, or where they should arrive to receive the ball, Frenkie de Jong and Pedri. They received him with unusual ease, especially Frenkie. Pedri was more closely watched by Valverde.
That is where Ancelotti surprised Xavi. The Italian coach launched Modric to jump on Eric and Kroos on Piqué, leaving Busquets uncovered, and with an advantage, so that he could combine with Frenkie and Pedri against Casemiro and Valverde. That 3 against 2 forced the exit of a central defender and, in turn, another advantageous space was generated for a Barça striker. There were 18 Barça shots, 10 on goal. Madrid, with four goals conceded, came out well.
Araujo was chosen to override Vinicius for being the defender with the highest peak speed.
The absence of Karim Benzema facilitated, from the outset, the panorama for Barça, while complicating it for Madrid. Not only because he is the main benchmark for the team and because he is the top scorer in the squad and in the League, but because Ancelotti does not trust any replacement: neither Mariano nor Jovic nor Hazard nor Bale. He bet on Modric and broke down his own structure.
remained Vinicius as the main threat. Deactivating the Brazilian meant depriving Madrid of the most unbalancing player. The choice was between Dani Alves and Ronald Araujo, pros and cons who clearly decided in favor of the Uruguayan. Alves provides more fluidity in attack, participates more in the construction by having more foot, and does not bother in plots far from his best position.
Araujo, on the other hand, is more careful in defensive vigilance – it was a priority to be very close to Vinicius so that his teammates could connect with him for the counterattack-, he is the footballer with the greatest capacity in physical combat, He has the best win rate and possesses the highest peak speed among defenders. His air power was an added bonus. Very valuable as it was seen with the 0-2 goal.
Xavi was consistent in Madrid. The day before, he announced a brave Barça with personality for the Clásico and he repeated the same thing to the group before the match. “We are better than them and we are better than them & rdquor ;, maintained the coach, endorsed by the game and the results, with 11 undefeated games. It was crucial to transfer serenity and confidence to players who were facing their first visit to the Bernabéu such as Araujo, Eric, Pedri, Nico, Gavi…
Barça directed the pressure to cover Alaba and force Militao to shoot long
There were slogans that underpinned the belief in victory. The pressure was geared towards blocking Alaba and forcing Militao to go long, since Madrid had no player to pick up the pass and start playing. The device itself to find Frenkie and Pedri worked wonderfully because Dembélé and Ferran kept Carvajal and Nacho open and the freedom of the interiors caused the exits of Alaba and Militao out of their zone.
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There is no greater display of courage than going out to the Bernabéu with the idea of commanding from possession of the ball. Lagging behind Madrid could generate whistles from the public to their own; also caused annoyance and frustration, with the 0-4 before the hour of game. A scandal result completed just after the break.
Ancelotti made a mistake again with the defense of three against the three forwards from Barca. An unworked device, since Nacho and Alaba were absolutely open and the azulgranas slipped through the central area to deal the final blows. When he returned to the quartet delaying Casemiro, overwhelmed everywhere, the evil had already been consummated.