FC Barcelona has notably improved its defensive performance compared to the previous season. Although the team registers almost one goal conceded per game in LaLiga (10 goals against in 11 games), the work of the defense has been notable, especially in the way of dealing with offsides.
In this regard, Fermín López revealed how the squad has been working on this tactical aspect, a hallmark of the team since the arrival of Hansi Flick to the Barça bench. The German coach is distinguished by schemes with compact and very high lines to pressure the exit of his rivals.
"We are conceding very little and the rivals are offside a lot because we do it very well. It is a bit risky, but it is very well worked out. We are not afraid to throw the line there. We work on it on the field and on video," he explained that of El Campillo in a talk with 'Jijantes'.
So far this season, Barça's rivals have had 11 goals disallowed in LaLiga due to offside. Real Madrid's forwards fell into the offside trap 12 times during the last Clásico, with Kylian Mbappé being the most harmed by the Barça defensive order (he was ahead 8 times in the 90 minutes).
For Pau Cubarsí, the key is in communication between defenders
For his part, Pau Cubarsí also addressed the issue in an interview for 'RAC1'. The 17-year-old central defender considers that the tactical work has been excellent, but the key is communication between the four defenders. "It's a matter of communication, that we combine well. If one goes out, the others follow the line," explained the '2' culé.
In that sense, he added: "When I see it from the outside I think 'ugh, here a ball behind our backs can hurt us', but on the field you trust the line and your teammates. If we all go together, they will stay in offside," stated the Estanyol player.
Both in the League and in the Champions League, the team has taken advantage of a very advanced defense, but rigorously organized to neutralize major rivals such as Bayern Munich or Real Madrid, teams that specialize in verticality and speed to attack the backs of their rivals.