Barcelona’s Principles Under Xavi in Six Minutes
Analysis and Training Session
Barcelona vs Espanyol
Analysis
In Xavi’s first match in charge at Barca you could already see a much better approach to positioning and movement compared to our last analysis of Barcelona’s match against Rayo. Though in that match Barcelona faced much more intense pressing and a heavy man marking scheme whereas in this match Espanyol played much deeper and passive in their pressing.
From early on, in the first minute, you can see the much better positioning of the Barcelona players as they are spread through the center, half spaces, and wide areas. With Espanyol sitting deep the center backs had little pressure placed on them so they looked to move the ball along the backline or take space available in front of them. This helped them to find ways to get the ball between the lines. While this happened the forwards and midfield players looked to find ways to create space or threaten space in behind which we will explore more of in the following situations. Most of Barca’s attacks game down the left side with the left fullback playing much higher and wider compared to his counterpart on the right. The forward out on the left looked to come inside more often in certain moments but didn’t stray too far from the left wing though he had more flexibility than his counterpart on the opposite side of the field who most often stayed high and wide. The most rotations and movements occurred between the left 8 and the center forward who would often have opposite movements and look to fill the spaces left from one another. The right 8 was mostly there to control the right half space and look to receive between lines in there. Sometimes if the ball was on the left wing he could drift into the central space or other times when the ball was played to the right wing looked to make runs to create space but had little movement or rotations outside of that. Through this we can see that while there is movement and rotations in the formation and shape of Barca it is also a highly rigid shape with players looking to play in and control certain zones depending on their position.
Here the 6 is positioned centrally with both 8’s in each half space and the center forward positioned centrally and two wide forwards. The ball carrying center back takes his space looking to draw pressure and open up a pass between lines. The ball ends up being played wide as nothing opens up between lines. The center forward makes the run-in support out towards the wing as the left 8 moves up into the last line to pin the defenders back and open up space between the lines.
After a freekick and a regain of possession, Barcelona are able to restart their attack from the back. With the left 8 in the right half space, he looks to make a run in behind from a deep starting position. This is something that could slightly be seen in a few moments previous to this that foreshadowed that this type of run would happen. This moment however was a good moment for the run in behind as there was no pressure placed on the deep possessing ball carrier. No pressure on the ball equals a trigger to run in behind. Add to that the fact Espanyol had a very high line considering where the ball was and the lack of pressure on it.
A diagonal ball played out wide to the wide forward on the left. Center forward again moves out to support and the left 8 fills his space and moves up into the last line to pin the defenders back.
The wide forward on the left drives inside as the left fullback overlaps. The ball then gets played back out to the left fullback and Barcelona’s shape shifts to compensate and try to overload the space. The wide forward in support of the fullback carrying the ball with the 6 shifted into the left half space. The right 8 shifted into the center from the right half space with the right fullback occupying it instead and the wide forward on the right keeping width on the ball far side. This keeps good spacing across the field which allows for multiple passing options, ball relocation, and counterpressing if the ball is lost which ends up happening in this case (see below).
After ball loss players are positioned in close enough proximity to be able to quickly apply pressure to the ball carrier and the surrounding space to win the ball back.
Ball again played out wide as Espanyol look to block the space between lines. Diagonal runs made by the left and right 8’s and, somewhat, from the center forward looking to create space or threaten the space in behind the last line as the ball is being moved along the backline.
Ball moves back along the backline to the opposite center back. The center forward drops deep between the lines looking to receive. The left 8 runs forward to fill the space left by the center forward and again pin the backline preventing them from stepping up to close space. The right sided 8 pushes forward then drops looking to create space for himself between the lines as the ball moves between center backs and back. As ball gets played wide to the forward on the right, the right 8 makes a diagonal run towards the wide area looking to create space in the middle.
Center back with space drives forward and looks to play between lines. Spacing and positioning allows for immediate pressure and to take away any outlet passes which forces a long ball.
Ball swung out to fullback pushed high and wide forward dropped in support. Left 8 pushes forward into last line as the center forward drops between lines to receive.
Players positioning across the field and their body orientation in support of one another allows for quick play across the center as they look to relocate play to the opposite wide forward in space.
The key to Barcelona’s play in possession as they looked to attack was the movements into the last line or in behind to create space. This happened most often from the left 8 as the center forward moved out wide to support/create space. Opposite movements from the attacking players to exploit space as well as force defenders into indecisive decisions was as well a constant in possession. As well as double movements looking to create space for yourself to be able to receive. As the game continued on and progressed these same movements and principles could be seen and happened continually.
Training
9v9 in five vertical channels
In this 9v9 game we have the opposition with a keeper, a back five, and a midfield three. The focus group (blue) have two center backs who start in the endzone, a six, two 8’s and a center forward, with two wide forwards. Additionally blue have a left fullback only as most of the attacks came from the left and the left fullback was much more involved and essential to how Barca attacked. The game starts with a pass into the center backs in the endzone. The endzone is mostly there for a reference point for the center backs but they aren’t restricted to this zone and can step out with the ball or be pressured in this zone. From here the center back if they have the space in front of them can dribble forward to attract pressure or they could look to play a pass out of the zone looking to play between lines if possible or out wide to the fullback or wide forward. The main coaching points come from the analysis above in the positioning and movement seen. As the field in front is split into five vertical zones as reference points, we look to make sure the players are positioned and moving accordingly. If the left fullback pushes high the wide left forward should look to drop or if the wide left forward comes inside the left fullback can push high and wide. The left 8’s movement predominately in the left half space and blurring the lines between the left wing and center reacts to the center forward movement and what he does. So, if the center forward makes movement towards left wing, then the left 8 looks to fill his space “centrally” into the last line. Same if the center forward looks to drop into space between lines, then the left 8 moves opposite to that and pushes forward into last line to pin back the defenders.
After the ball is lost and red gain possession, they can look to score by dribbling or passing to a player into the endzone occupied by the blue center backs for one point. Once the ball is played into the endzone red can then look to score in either of the two mini goals for an additional two points or red can play directly into either of the two mini goals for two points. For blue we want the effect of quick pressure on the ball after its lost with the surrounding players blocking nearby space or marking nearby passing options. This counterpressing after the ball is lost is another principle that can be seen in the above analysis and is enabled by good structure, disciplined positioning, and good analyzation of the situation.
KW
Written November 2021
