Many believe that Michael Jordan has been the best athlete in history. Not everyone knows that he was voted the best defender in the NBA one year and on several occasions was included in the defensive team of the impressive North American basketball league. Jordan remains the memory of his acrobatic baskets, of his stratospheric jumps, remaining suspended defying the laws of physics. He is Air Jordan, not defense Jordan. But to be number one he knew, from the first moment, that his role was not simply to score. That also.
Xavi has given Barça a certain turn by going from the classic and iconic 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 with a double pivot and two forwards (a nine and a winger). It has gone well for him. He has found the formula, and Barça is enjoying one of the best moments of the last two years, with the possibility of winning the remaining titles, once the Champions League has disappeared. But the big change for Barça is in its defensive capacity and in the guys who have made Barcelona suffer less when they are attacked.
The team begins to defend in front. Lewandowski is a footballer raised in a team like Bayern in which the concept of solidarity is very high. Thus, the team’s top scorer is one of the men most committed to pressing. And that’s contagious. Raphinha, Dembélé, Ansu Fati or Ferran Torres are also applied in that pressure that must start up front. The team gets closer together and it’s easier to press. And behind the defense the defense rises a little beyond midfield, which on the one hand leaves a lot of ground behind, but shortens the playing field a lot and allows you to play in the opposite field, where a loss from your opponent is an opportunity and your own is not a great one. opportunity, since they are further away.
Barça have signed Christensen and Koundé very well and have taken advantage of the magnificent legacy of Araújo, Balde, Alba or Ter Stegen to form together with Marcos Alonso (versatile), Eric Garcia (with a great future) and Sergi Roberto (an example of discipline for the coach) a line that has really brought a change of direction to the team. The Barça of the four midfielders no longer trembles with the transitions. The double pivot (De Jong and Busquets, or with Pedri or Kessié) has allowed more balance in the middle, and the presence of Gavi, with more freedom for him or Pedri, to go up in attack has allowed more presence of the second-line men . It is no coincidence that Pedri scores more goals. That Barça defend well is not countercultural, but normal and effective. That, fundamentally, is what has made the team much more competitive today.
