"Speaking in his pre-match press conference, the German coach admitted certain frailties within the squad need urgent attention, particularly down the left flank, where Alejandro Balde and Marcus Rashford operate. Flick's comments were not meant as criticism of the players' performances. In fact, Rashford has been one of Barcelona's most dangerous attacking threats this season. However, the issue lies in the team's overall tactical coordination. Barcelona's pressing has been inconsistent, and their defensive structure often becomes disjointed, leaving spaces that opponents have begun to exploit."
"During the match against Club Brugge, Barcelona's defensive shortcomings were exposed early on. The opening goal came when Alejandro Balde failed to close down Carlos Forbs, allowing the winger time to accelerate past him and deliver a precise assist for Niccolo Tresoldi. Adding to the problem was Rashford's limited defensive contribution. Although the Englishman was a strong influence in the attack, he neglected his tracking duties, leaving Balde and the rest of the backline vulnerable to overloads."
Barcelona exhibit tactical weaknesses that need ironing out ahead of the Celta Vigo clash. The left flank is a particular concern as Alejandro Balde and Marcus Rashford operate there, with Balde exposed defensively and Rashford contributing limited tracking. Pressing has been inconsistent and defensive structure often becomes disjointed, creating exploitable spaces. The Brugge match illustrated these faults when Balde failed to close down Carlos Forbs, allowing an assist for Niccolo Tresoldi. Raphinha's month-long absence has further hurt balance; his pressing, work rate and 34-goal output last season helped maintain shape and cohesive transitions.
Read at Barca Universal
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