BARÇA'S THREE OPTIONS
Cancelo or Araújo? Xavi's variants to defend Vinicius
Vinicius Jr is one of the players who most worry FC Barcelona ahead of the Clásico dispute this Saturday, hence Xavi Hernández has several 'formulas' in his notebook to try to stop him.
The FC Barcelona knows that it splits of the success (or disappointment) in the Classical of this Saturday depends on what can or not doing Vinicius Jr on the terrain of game. It is the player more desequilibrante of the Real Madrid and an attacker that can do party by his band if they leave him half centimetre to run. The blaugrana had him the measure 'taken' in the last clashes, but in the party of turn of the Glass of Rey, in that the madridistas imposed by 0-4, the approach began to flaquear. And this forces to Xavi Hernández to work the double.
The situation of the culés is very different to as it was in May, when it contested the crash. In this moment, the Barça did not have a fixed right side and went alternating between Jules Koundé and Ronald Araújo to defend the band, although it was the charrúa the attendant to appear in said position in the parties against the Real Madrid. His physical fortress and capacity to anticipate turned him into one of the few able players to detain and minimise to the Brazilian player in Spain. Now, Joao Cancel has adueñado of the band and leaves to the egarense with an authentic crossing.
The options that has Xavi on the table
And it is that, although the Portuguese has showed to be one of the best to the to hour to add to the attack by the right-handed band, have noticed him a lot the sewings when it has seen in the need to retreat and defend. It loses a lot of balloons and win him the back in several opportunities. With Vinicius, is more than clear that these errors can not commit, because it is able to go in career and carry to the one who was by his way in direction to the rival goal. I cancel, if it is headline, would have to leave an exceptional performance.
It is thus that are opened three stages to the hour to defend to the '7' madridista. The first is not moving at all. Xavi indicated in press conference that "experiments, few. The Real Madrid attacks of a way... Maybe we vary the surveillances and it is necessary to be more precavidos with them, but will be brave. We will not change neither the model neither the philosophy: we will be brave and will try to dominate with the ball", by what in this stage the Portuguese would be the attendant to battle against the Brazilian by the band, receiving the helps of Ronald Araújo, the one who would direct the axis of the defensive saga.
Another option, as they explain from 'SPORT', is that I Cancel go rotando of position, responsibility or role. In the offensive facet will follow the same course of always by the band, but his presence will change when the Barça happen to defend. There, Araújo would displace to the side to measure in front of Vinicius and the Portuguese would remain in the central zone of the field, like a pivote, for incrustarse between head offices and commission, mainly, to mark to Jude Bellingham that constantly is stepping the rival area. Xavi would come it studying and practising in these last two trainings.
The most risked alternative for the Barça
The last alternative and probably the less likely is that the Barcelona trainer, for the first time since it added his first titularity, leave to Cancel in the bench of acting and the charrúa remain permanently in the pending area of the surveillances to the '7' madridista. In this stage, Iñigo Martínez would go in in the XI to accompany to Andreas Christensen. Seeing the level in which it is the ex of the Manchester City, seems unlikely that can do without he. In the attack can have a key for desatascar the party, anytime. And they can not lose this.