Great game to close the day on Sunday with the leader visiting the Reale Arena. Hansi Flick’s Barça will look for three prestigious points that will allow them to reach the third break of the season while maintaining their distance at the top of the table. Opposite, a high-quality rival who always shows his best side in this type of match. Here are my 5 tactical keys for this great meeting:
1. The Cubarsi enigma
The negative part of the game against Red Star were the cuts that Pau Cubarsí received on his face. It has entered the list but we will have to pay attention to its evolution. His profile is very necessary against a team that presses as well as Real Sociedad but we must not take unnecessary risks. In the case of not playing, Flick has two alternatives. The first, to directly place Sergi Domínguez as a right-handed central defender without touching the collective gears. That is the option he used in Villareal. The other was to move a bursting Jules Koundé into the middle and bring on Héctor Fort on the right wing. Whatever it is, it is a highly demanding match for them.
Tactical key Real Sociedad – Barça
2. Print high rhythm
La Real comes from playing and losing in the Europa League last Thursday. A long game, competed with a trip through the middle. Surely Alguacil will refresh the eleven but the particular situation of the San Sebastian team will force many to repeat, which is why Barça has to impose a very high pace of play so that all this wear and tear plays its role. Furthermore, the Barça team is used to maintaining high revs throughout the ninety minutes and sustaining it without problems. Strength to be exploited and that, tonight, could end up being decisive.
3. The opposite extreme
One of the things that hurts Real Sociedad the most is good transitions. And the San Sebastian team is a brave, active team that reveals itself when it attacks positionally. Which thing comes together directly with this Barça that runs so well into space. The Blaugrana are the team that has scored the most goals in transitions to date. In this sense, one of the maneuvers that has given the greatest productivity has been the sequences of medium recovery and long pass towards the far end that has the task of remaining isolated as an option to clean the action in width and, likewise, start the con. A maneuver that already ended in a goal in Villareal, against Bayern and that, tonight, will be easy to find.
Tactical key Real Sociedad – Barça
4. The back pass
This Barça is full of interesting and productive little mechanisms. One of them is found at the end of the plays. Because this Barça is also very clear about how they want to attack the area when the game is on the wing. It does so with many troops and very well staggered. Highlight the back position in the front that Raphinha or Lamine occupy depending on the side and also highlight the back pass option that full-backs are increasingly looking for when they arrive from the outside. Against Red Star, two of the five goals came like this. Aspect to continue exploiting.
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5. Sergio Gómez, Take Kubo and Mikel Oyarzábal
The great danger of Real Sociedad lies in its well-understood verticality and the individual talent of its squad. To start, that of Sergio Gómez. A footballer with already a lot of baggage but who has acquired a very high level in the last year. He has a magnificent understanding of football and exquisite things always come out of his left foot. He captained the Olympic team to the gold medal and is the team’s top assistant txuri urdin with three assists. Another great focus is that of former Barça player Takefuso Kubo. His overflow on the right wing is very high. From this, he always generates scoring opportunities. Either for the rest of the team or to finish him. He is the team’s top scorer with three goals. He is not always a starter since Imanol Alguacil sometimes likes to reserve him for the second games. And finally, always highlight Mikel Oyarzábal. Because his talent and his temper are out of place. No matter what game it is and where it plays, you have to keep it under close control.
Tactical key Real Sociedad – Barça
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