Combinations, protagonists and formulas: Barça's defensive success, in detail

It said Xavi Hernández after the Classical, against the Real Madrid, that from the FC Barcelona could be proud of the result, but no of how achieved it. The party of the Barcelona generated opinions found by the 'renunciation' to the balloon and to the style of the team, but to final of accounts was one of the most intelligent clashes of the season in which, in front of the big absences in the medullary and leading, the team showed an impressive defensive work that left without answers to the White House at all times, although they dominated the crash.

The how can argue, but is an effective formula for the Barça. With his 'peros' and grey, in this season the team of Xavi has known to show different 'skins' and forms to play with such to win the parties. A day can be an offensive gale and capacees to annotate three or four goals, but other nights can go back a wall to defensive level, sign a 0-1 or 1-0 and carry out the parties. The two stages are allowed and suppose a deep growth of the team that, especially in LaLiga and Glass of Rey, has been able to adapt to the different stages to go out victorious.

The defensive appearance is the one who more surprises has generated in this course and that remained entirely evidenciado in the recent visit to the Real Madrid, but también in nights against the Villarreal, Cádiz, Real Sociedad, Girona... And a few parties in which the culés have not been especially connected of face to the goal, but that have resolved of a form that, probably, is equal of complicated to mark five goals each clashes: deny it to the rival.

The Barça has given a jump of quality to defensive level 'brutal' regarding the last years, in which the team desangraba backwards. Although they have had a lot of effect the signings of Andreas Christensen and Jules Koundé (and in minor measured the one of Marcos Alonso), as well as the 'promotion' definite of Alejandro Balde to the first team, the change of the Barcelona has been of root, because the trainer of Terrassa has achieved that the defence was able to impose to defensive level independently of the protagonists in the retaguardia.

To put it in context, it is necessary to take in account that, between all the competitions, the Barça has fit a total of 30 goals in 37 parties (8 in LaLiga, 12 in Champions, 4 in Europe League, 3 in Glass of Rey and Supercopa of Spain). They go out to 0,81 targets fit by clash. They have kept, besides, the goal in zero in twenty occasions, 17 of them have achieved in the domestic championship.

These numbers, especially in League, would hint that the Barça has bet in the majority of the cases in his defence of gala, that at present is conformed by Jules Koundé in the right side, the couple of head offices of Ronald Araújo and Andreas Christensen, with Alejandro Balde in the left side. They are the 'indispensable' of the low zone of the field, but the surprise is that only it has played with this defence in five opportunities, to which it would be necessary to add one in which the charrúa and French exchanged of place.

Rotations forced in the defence

By injuries, physical problems, sanctions or rotations by rest, Xavi has not been able to explain constantly with which is his more reliable defence. And, sorpresivamente, the team has followed winning, keeping his goal in zero and minimising the offensive capacities of the rival, backed also by Marc-André ter Stegen that is living a historical season and has gone back to colarse between the best guardametas of the world, in the actuality.

It is not casualidad that the Barça was showing this level of defensive solidity, play the one who play, because up to now they have jumped to the field 29 different defences in 37 parties. The most used has been the above-mentioned, but also has stood out the Koundé-Araújo-Eric-Balde (thrice) or the formed by Sergi Roberto, Koundé, Eric and Balde, in two opportunities, to the equal that the Balde-Hammered-Marcos-Alba, as they explain in 'Sportive World'. In the distance, Xavi has gone doing modifications depending on the available names.

You adjust them of the egarense, the capacity of the footballers to rectify and support in the coverages to his mates, as well as the constant surveillance have been points that have 'launched' to the Barcelona in this season. Defend en bloc has been an advantage and the main key so that the culés are in the highest of LaLiga and with foot and half in the final of Glass of Rey.

It is allowed to win by the minimum

The big defensive level, as we mentioned before, has allowed that the Barça have more than a 'form' to win. Although to the team would love him can golear a night yes and the another also, is not a secret for anybody that few times is possible to keep this rhythm. The team has piped it well and has cost of the 1-0 or 0-1 more times of what expected in this season, because up to now they have completed nine parties with this result (three 1-0 and six 0-1), including the one of the past Thursday against the Real Madrid in Santiago Bernabéu.

It is a good symptom for the Catalans, because although they can not be to 100% to offensive level and that the absences of key players affect a lot the capacity goleadora of the team, have a 'backrest' to the that grasp in the nights complicated. In Chamartín checked it and, in definite, is a formula that also is successful and that can repeat .