After beating Osasuna, Barça visits Mendizorroza with the intention of gaining a good points dynamic in the League while improving the game. But Luis García Plaza’s Alavés is a complicated team that has good competitive momentum. Here are my 5 tactical keys for this match:
In a week João Félix and Ferran Torres have fallen. Or what is the same, the two footballers to whom Xavi gave the responsibility of playing on the left wing. A position that has a high influence on the way they play, since they have to make good reading to open the field while also getting inside to generate the square of interior superiority that the Barça coach wants. So the big unknown for this afternoon is who will occupy this position. Apparently against Osasuna, the choice will be between Fermín and Vitor Roque. The first option gives more control, more shooting from outside and more ability to retreat. The Brazilian’s, more depth, more energy to press high and more goals. Interesting to see the decision.
The entry route for Barça will be clearly on their right side. Alavés is weak on this side and it is the area where it is easiest to go deeper. Firstly, because there is no clear starting full-back (Duarte, Javi López…), secondly, because all the options are surmountable in face-to-face matches and, thirdly, because Luis Rioja (the usual left midfielder) is not used to grant defensive aid. And from there, the ideal will be to look for a center to finish. And, furthermore, the Alavés defense has many difficulties in defending this specific ball trajectory profile: the one that goes from their left wing towards the area.
One of the main limitations that Barça is having when attacking an opponent very close to their goal is that they place many people on the last line. It may be due to the desire to score a goal or perhaps due to haste to arrive, but it is a fact that reduces space for the team itself. Barça has to try to stagger its five attackers more (three forwards and two midfielders) to have a disposition in which each of them has more margin. And this happens because the wide players are tall as well as deep and because the midfielders lower their height a little to attract their markers and be able to enter from behind.
A real test for one of the things that is costing Barça the most goals this season: the defense of the area. And, with an average of 21 crosses per game, Alavés is the fourth team in the championship with the most crosses. A maneuver that explodes even more when he plays in Mendizorroza. They don’t need to reach the last third of the field to do so. So, on the one hand, it will be important that the closest Barça players do not allow the rivals to center comfortably in order to minimize this resource. But above all, it will be important that Barça’s defenders and pivot are active, well distributed in their own area and that they comply with the three football rules for defending the area: control the ball, the mark and one’s own goal. Something that is essential for being well profiled.
Alavés has some interesting names. The first of all goes to one of the revelations of the championship: the very young Samu Omorodion. The forward, only 19 years old and on loan from Atlético de Madrid, is a spectacular physical wonder. He is strong, agile and has overwhelming power to attack spaces. In the first leg he scored the goal for the Vitoria team and caused real havoc behind a Koundé overwhelmed by the situation. He has already scored six goals of Alavés’ 22 goals. He also mentions Luis Rioja as an important danger element. The left-hander is a fast, skilled and good-footed player. He plays with a natural leg and that gives him a lot of overflow on the outside while allowing him to get many crosses. To which we must add a good shot. He has four goals and three assists in the 22 games he has played. All except one starter.
