The offside line and other tactical keys of FC Barcelona – Sevilla

Barça returns to the League and faces the first of the games of a big week with Bayern and Real Madrid on the horizon. But the first station will be a Sevilla that seems to have improved and that returns with Garcia Pimienta at the head of the ship. A match that will contribute many things. Here are my 5 tactical keys for this great meeting:

1- LAMINE YAMAL AND THE GOAL

Hansi Flick revealed the great mystery regarding the goal, confirming the ownership of Iñaki Peña. This is a sign of confidence on the part of the coach and a good endorsement for the goalkeeper. Because it is as true that the youth player has been correct in the last few games as he has given rise to certain doubts in some outings. Beyond being good between the sticks when he has to be, it will be important for him to show a little more hierarchy and a little more communication with the defense. Its continuity will depend on it. In the center and up top, we must not rule out the entry of De Jong or Ansu Fati for some of the players who have arrived with national team discomfort (Lewandowski or Lamine Yamal) or with long trips (Raphinha).

2- MAINTAIN COORDINATION

In recent days, the topic has been the 62 offsides that Barça has caused by its opponents. Something that is already one of the great hallmarks of Hansi Flick’s Barça and something that the team has to maintain in these weeks of greater demand from rivals, starting with Sevilla. It will be vital that the Barça team maintains the high level of coordination and defensive communication. We will see if the coach decides to keep the usual four (Koundé-Cubarsí-Íñigo-Balde) or apply some rotation at the back, but it is a capital issue due to the current way of playing as well as being

3- SURPRISE WITH THE HALF POINT

Sevilla is a team that plays with a marked and hard-working double pivot (Agoumé and Gudelj). When they have time to arrive, both usually give help to the full-backs in direct defensive duels. And the arriving midfielder (Pedri, Dani Olmo) or the two Barça midfielders have to take advantage of that. If they move well and break into the area, they can arrive alone to score.

4- THE LANES AND THE MOMENTS

One of the best virtues that Flick’s Barca is having is that, despite the fact that the opponents are trying to ensure that the Blaugrana cannot activate the dreaded transitions into space, they know how to take advantage of the few moments that inevitably always appear throughout the 90s. minutes. And against Sevilla that will be very important because the Andalusian team has problems defending with large spaces. Especially, the internal ruptures inside where the centre-back pair suffers a lot. Furthermore, one of them (Nianzou) is out due to suspension. All teams have created clear chances in this way. Without going any further, Vitor Roque had two clear chances in the last Seville derby. Aspect to be exploited when the possibility opens up.

5- LUKEBAKIO, EJUKE and THE RETURN OF ‘PIMI’

Among the dangers of Sevilla we must talk about Francesc Xavier Garcia Pimienta. The former Barça footballer and coach is not only a great coach but also knows perfectly the Barça way of playing. He has applied it in Barça itself and applies it outside of it, so he will seek to exploit the weaknesses of the system. Already on the pitch, highlight Lodi Lukebakio. The Belgian winger is, by far, Sevilla’s most productive player. Not only because he is the team’s top scorer, with three goals, but because he is also the one who shoots the most (2.8 per game) and the second most good dribbles of the Andalusian team (2.2 on average per game). He is playing as a right winger and, a priori, he will repeat there. But pay close attention to the other side because the Nigerian Chider Ejuke is also a footballer to watch closely. Fast, with shooting quality and very skilled. With 28 so far he is the forward who has completed the most dribbles in the League. One more than Lamine Yamal. You will have to be attentive to him.