From zero to one hundred! The changes that explain the 'rebirth' of Barça

The FC Barcelona faces the final stretch of the season with positive feelings and with the possibility to keep in the career to win some title. LaLiga And Champions League continue being possible and the Catalans already have showed that are in conditions to put in the 'battle', something that recently more than two months seemed an utopia. The jump of faith and the step forward of all the changing room has been the key so that the change was pronounced and are playing the possibility to go back to some 'semis' European for the first time from 2019.

Still it remains a lot of way by in front, but in these next ten days there will be a much clearer vision of what can achieve the team in this season, because they will receive to Paris Saint-Germain, the Tuesday, for the turn of the quarter-finals and will visit to the Real Madrid, the Sunday, in Santiago Bernábeu for the dispute of the day 32 of LaLiga that can be decisive to define the options or no of a possible traced back. The blaugrana see very able to achieve both aims, because they are in a very good moment and, besides, have found the balance.

A change of libreto notorious in the Barça

And it is that the team has given an important jump regarding the month of January, in which it seemed that they went to 'suffer' for putting in the next edition of the Champions. They have been many adjust them that it has completed the technical body of Xavi Hernández that have derived in a mejoría collective since. The first point for has been the defensive effectiveness. Although the PSG annotated two goals in little more than two minutes, the Barça was able to contain to his maximum star, Kylian Mbappé, and allowed few approaches to the area of Ter Stegen.

There are a lot of protagonists in this section, from the subidón of level of Jules Koundé, very criticised in the first stretch of the season, until the irruption of Pau Cubarsí that to the 17 years has turned into an indisputable headline and a 'wall' to defensive level. It has complemented with the experience of Ronald Araújo and is one of the most reliable players in the retaguardia. They have seen benefited, also, of the role that can exert Andreas Christensen or Sergi Roberto like mediocentros, because they contribute more consistency and are able of replegarse more easily.

Gündogan Like main reference

Always they appear like the third man in tasks of repliegue and has been a key so that the Barça do not remain in numerical inferiority to the hour to defend. Like effect dominated, has caused that it two futbolitas that position like interiors have a lot of more freedom to add to the attack and can mark differences. The most important case has been the one of a Ílkay Gündogan that has dressed like the silent leader of the team and the one who carries the threads in the centre of the field. Against the PSG left an exhibition that has not been more than a continuity of what offers week after week.

The not having to replegarse constantly has been a balsam for Gündogan, because it has found the form to minimise the errors that committed before and is able of concectar with the forwards in all the party. It is more 'hit' to the attack and distributing game. It is not 'casualidad' that was more consolidated that never like the player with more occasions created in Europe. His command completes it a Raphinha that, in front of the drops of Pedri or Frenkie of Jong, has remained like an indisputable headline in the XI.

Step forward of the attackers

The difference is that it has begun to appear like part of the square, by the left, so that it act more like a fourth midfield player. A very seemed role to the that 'awarded' Xavi Hernández to Gavi in his moment. The international with Brazil finds easier the way to the rival goal and also has been much finer in the last pass. Sum three goals in his last two parties, to put it in context. The 'revolution' complete it Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal.

The Polish forward, after a 2023 very grey, has recovered his more effective version. So much of face to the rival goal as to the hour to generate superiorities and advantages to benefit to his mates. In Paris saw the best proof of this in a party in which, although it did not annotate, was very intelligent and 'went out'. In the case of Lamine Yamal, has gone in promotion until turning into a reference in spite of his 16 years. It is the attendant of dinamizar, give speed and condition to the rival in the band.