Numerous similarities could be found between Barcelona's victory over Athletic Club on Sunday and their thrashing of Villarreal on Wednesday. In the first half of both games, a rush of goals inside ten minutes gave the hosts a three-goal lead and all but guaranteed victory. Before Ferran Torres scored a fourth goal to end the match in the second half, Ousmane Dembele, Sergi Roberto, and Robert Lewandowski scored goals in the first half.
Returning to the stadium where he twice won the league championship, Ernesto Valverde would have hoped for a better outcome, but on this particular night, his team was simply outmatched and outplayed. The visitors had absolutely no opportunity over the entire 90 minutes as Barcelona played one of its most dominant games of the season.
Three key lessons from the rout of Athletic Club Bilbao at Spotify Camp Nou are presented by Barça Sphere.
1. The Tactical Superiority
Before kickoff, Ernesto Valverde, the former manager of Barcelona, received disappointing news. The coach, like many others, had anticipated that Barcelona would line up in a typical 4-3-3 with two wide wingers on the night, but little did he know that Xavi Hernandez had a trick up his sleeve.
Robert Lewandowski and Ousmane Dembele were the only forwards the coach started against Athletic Club in an innovative move. In exchange, he was given the freedom to start Serio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Gavi, and Pedri in the middle of the field.
The hosts won because of the formation's complexity, which was a 4-3-3 in principle but a 4-4-2 on paper. Although Pedri began the game as a left winger, he later moved into a deeper position. The team's defensive structure was strong in the new configuration thanks to a double pivot and two additional bodies in the middle of the field to direct the attacks.
After the game, Valverde acknowledged that Xavi's choice to start four midfielders confused him and his team, and it was obvious from how uneasy the Basque team appeared at Camp Nou. The tactical masterstroke, if anything, is evidence of Xavi's profound knowledge of the game's mechanics.
2. Gratifying Display From Dembele.
Who was Barcelona's best player on Sunday night is not in much doubt. Ousmane Dembele, who has one goal and three assists to his credit, caused chaos in the Basque team's box and single-handedly destroyed their defense.
Ousmane Dembélé vs Athletic:
- 68 touches in 77 minutes of play - 1 goal - 3 assists - 4 chances, including 2 major ones - 2 dribbles - 3 passes into the final third
In the 12th minute, after Robert Lewandowski's cross was delivered, he scored with a pretty uncommon header. Fascinatingly, Dembele's dribble and shot that eventually fell free at the Pole's feet started the move. A few minutes later, he played a beautiful pass to Sergi Roberto, who scored the second goal, before Lewandowski scored by easily separating the opposition defense.
But his assist on Barcelona's fourth was a visual delight. When Ferran Torres was standing precisely in front of the goal, the Frenchman scooped up the ball on the right, made a slaloming move through the Athletic defense, and sent a magnificent through ball to him.
Dembele had three shots on goal, four vital passes, two successful dribbles, and 100% success on all of his attempted long balls in addition to his contributions to the goal. Talk about grabbing the game by the horns.
3. Gradual Return To Form.
Barcelona's natural, free-flowing style of play is back after a few dreary weeks. Despite the fact that some might argue that the damage has already been done, it is still better to act now than never.
After playing poorly against Inter Milan, the Blaugrana could have given up on winning the UEFA Champions League. However, they are only three points behind Real Madrid in the La Liga standings and can still win it.
The squad will now host Bayern Munich in a match that may not have much of an impact on anything. However, a victory over the Bavarians would send a clear message to Europe that Barcelona's exit from the UCL was due to injuries and that they still have a place among the top teams.
The Catalans must defeat the Bavarians with all out war on Wednesday because their honor is on the line. The team would no longer be known as "chokers," and it would also greatly aid their bid for the league championship.
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