Champs PSG breach Barca excessive line

PSG are the one workforce to have crushed Barcelona thrice in succession on the highway within the Champions League however Wednesday’s tie may have gone the opposite method had Dani Olmo chosen to go proper within the 63rd minute. He didn’t and his shot was cleared by Hakimi. Or, as an alternative of going solo and being denied by a sliding Illia Zabarnyi, Ferran Torres had observed that Marcus Rashford was unmarked.

Soon after, Torres put the house workforce forward within the nineteenth minute when Rashford opened his shoulder for his third help in three video games. This was the forty fifth straight recreation since final December wherein Barcelona have scored, as per Opta. That too with Robert Lewandowski on the bench and Raphinha injured.

Typical of a contest between groups choosing a high-risk-high-reward method, there have been errors. Vitinha’s stray move that was intercepted by Lamine Yamal for Barcelona’s aim being one. Nuno Mendes being booked for a foul on Yamal and being fortunate to not be cautioned once more for an additional on the Barcelona starlet being one other.

After a vibrant and equal first half, the place Senny Mayulu equalised within the thirty eighth minute, Barcelona didn’t sustain the depth. Indication of that got here within the 52nd minute when Nuno Mendes simply performed a raking move for Mayulu, one of many 5 youngsters given begins. In the 53rd, Hakimi galloped into the Barcelona penalty field and minimize in. Mendes and Hakimi overlapped after one another within the seventy fifth. Hakimi had 9 touches within the opposition penalty field.

The excessive line has been a method of enjoying at Barcelona. Hansi Flick has made it increased, shifting Barcelona an additional 5 metres away from the place the defence stood in 2022-23, The Athletic has proven.

Barcelona now normally stand 35m away from their aim. They do it nicely, so nicely that Kylian Mbappe was caught off-side eight occasions final 12 months. The excessive line helps compress the pitch, will get Barcelona to counter-press quicker and makes it troublesome for groups that prefer to construct with quick passes.

It works towards most groups as a result of they don’t have a lot of the ball. Known for his or her dynamic play, the reigning champions of Europe had 53% possession, extra probabilities created (13-8), extra pictures on track (7-3) and compelled extra saves (5-0).

So, towards a workforce with technical gamers even after they miss three first-choice forwards and Marquinhos in defence, Barcelona’s excessive line plan boomeranged. “We performed with many gamers from the youth academy who’re 17 or 18 years previous. It’s fantastic to have a workforce like this,” mentioned PSG head coach Luis Enrique. Lee Kang-in is just not amongst them however is thought to be the perfect dribbler within the squad. Surrounded by Barcelona gamers, the Korean managed a shot that hit the upright.

PSG have buccaneering full backs in Mendes and Hakimi who’ve passing vary, energy and positional sense. They have midfielders who drop in permitting the total backs to push up with freedom. They are the perfect of their place, Enrique mentioned of Mendes and Hakimi.

Exploiting house left by Barcelona, Mendes went on the surface of Jules Kounde, exchanged passes, drove infield and located Mayulu for the equaliser. Like within the Nations League closing, Mendes saved Yamal quiet, albeit after two spells of magic: an outstanding pirouette previous Vitinha and Bradley Barcola after which a move from the surface of the boot for Ruiz that wanted Zabarnyi’s intervention.

Yamal was subdued within the second half and didn’t observe again for PSG’s equaliser. Speaking of Harry Kane in a Bundesliga e-newsletter, Vincent Kompany highlighted the Bayern Munich aim machine’s means to get better the ball. It is one thing Yamal might want to do extra of.

As Ramos scored, Flick was visibly upset. “With (the rating at) 1-1 you must defend higher, have a greater construction within the defence,” he advised reporters. “We will be taught this and we have now to make it higher subsequent time towards this high quality of workforce.”

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