Before the start of the season and looking at Barcelona’s back four ahead of the season, it would have been difficult to envision Xavi’s team achieving the most impressive defensive record in all of Europe....CONTINUE READING
Concerns regarding Ronald Araujo’s fitness, as well as Jordi Alba’s aging legs, were significant factors that could have posed a threat to the team’s overall defensive stability.
Furthermore, the previous campaign saw Marc-Andre ter Stegen struggle to maintain his usual high level of performance, which suggested that Barcelona’s defense may experience a bumpy road this year.
However, despite these uncertainties, Barcelona has managed to construct a seemingly impenetrable defensive line. In La Liga, the Blaugrana have only allowed eight goals to be scored against them, with nearly half of them occurring in a single match against their arch-rivals, Real Madrid.
Moreover, ter Stegen has managed to secure 19 clean sheets in just 25 matches, while the free signing of Andreas Christensen has been an absolute revelation. Additionally, the departure of Gerard Pique from the team has led to a subtraction effect that has aided Barcelona’s defense.
Nonetheless, it is not solely the individual capabilities of the players that have been crucial to Barcelona’s success in defense this season.
The team’s statistics for possession in the league have been the highest of any team, and Sergio Busquets’s position in a deeper role has made them less vulnerable to counterattacks than they were in the previous campaign.
Furthermore, the addition of Alejandro Balde, a young and energetic left-back, has significantly improved Barcelona’s defensive capabilities.
When all of these elements are taken into account, it is clear that Barcelona’s defense is a force to be reckoned with. Their success in defense has not solely been due to individual player abilities, but also due to the team’s overall strategy and tactics.
With Barcelona’s defense looking to be a major strength of the team, it will be fascinating to observe how Xavi’s side can continue to build on this foundation and potentially propel themselves to further success in the future.
